
Glass __ El £ / ^ 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2010 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/historydescripti01walt 



HISTORICAL DESCRIPTION 

OF THE OIL PAINTINGS of 



MARY PHILLIPSE 

(Washington's Early Love) 

Also, THE SHARPLES PAINTINGS 

OF 

AND OF 

ROBERT FULTON and his WIFE 

AND OF 

PRIESTLEY and CHIEF-JUSTICE MARSHALL 

Together with numerous beautiful American women 
of the Revolutionary period 

Patnteb fig Sj^arpks 

between the years 1794 and 1800 

Compflclr from HaemoriaW of WaMmton, W i©tfe, 

anil Matbtv, lip ^afor $\amt^ i©after, retireti maafor 
• J?ouctft %anca^Urt 2Crtinerp. j^ublMbeti bp .^crib- 
\ nWjS, iSettj gotfe. J^rice, $B.00. Containjf mtVat 

tifquiiite autotppejS of tfte portrait?, epctuteb bp tbc 

Stutotgpe Companp of HonOon. (3Cbe ©olume map 



MAJOR WALTER'S Work entitled "MEMORIALS OF 
WASHINGTON, AND OF MART, HIS MOTHER, AND 
MARTHA, HIS WIFE," is just published by Sceibnee's 
Sons, of New York. 

It is an elegantly printed volume of 362 pages, royal octavo 
size, and contains twelve of the portraits exquisitely reproduced 
by the Autotype Company of London. 

The price of the work is Six Dollars, and it may be obtained 
in the room. 

A special Edition de Luxe of the work has been prepared, 
printed on finest large quarto paper, witTi specially selected 
impressions of all the autotype portraits. Price, Twelve Dollars. 

Photogravures of Mary Washington, and also that of Fulton, 
executed in the highest style of art by Annan, Her Majesty 
Queen Victoria's engraver, are ready for delivery in the order 
of subscription. None but proof impressions on India paper 
will for the time being be issued, and the number strictly lim- 
ited to five hundred. Size of plates, 14xll| inches, on imperial 
plate paper, 22x.30 inches. Price, Fifteen Dollars. 

Preference is given to the subscribers to the three original 
large autotypes of the Washingtons; i. e., the full face and pro- 
file of General Washington and the profile of Martha Washing- 
ton, and which may be subscribed for in the Exhibition Room 
at Twenty-five Dollars the set of three. 

The beautifully executed autotype of Heath & Parkes' re- 
nowned oil painting of "PETER STUTYES ANT'S ARMY 
ENTERING NEW YORK," may also be obtained in the room. 
Price, Ten Dollars. This painting was loaned to Washington 
Irving, and is engraved in an early edition of his " Knickei'- 
bocker History of New York." : ' 






/ 

HISTORY AND DESCRIPTIVE DETAILS 

OF 

MIDDLETON'S PORTRAITS 

OF 

Mary, the mother of Washington 

AND .,,» T / 

MARY PHILLIPSE 

(Washington's karly love) 
ALSO, OF THE SHARPLES PORTRAITS 

OF 

WASHINGTON, AND MARTHA, HIS WIFE 

ROBERT FULTON AND HIS WIFE 
And of Beautiful Women of the Revolutionary Period. 



-iJilnglonlana ^^""^^ ^r"~"" 



Persons desirous of being on the roll of subscribers to the Autotypes and 

Photogravures of the Washingtons and Fultons should immediately subscribe, 
as the roll is rapidly filling up. Beyond the prescribed limit of 500 of each none, 
will be produced. The value of these reproductions must increase. 

The public is respectfully informed that the paintings will in no instance be 
allowed to remain beyond the announced fixed date in any of the great cities 
arranged for their visit. 

Intending visitors will kindly avail of earliest opportunity, and impress same 
on friends. 



BOSTON 
Frank Wood, Printer, 353 Washington Street 
• 1SS6 



f3 

■ Wz-i 



The small collection of portraits, painted in oils, subject of 
this descriptive Catalogue, has been truthfully characterized by 
the leading journals as the most important and interesting ever 
submitted to the view of the American people. 

It comprises the only existing delineation of 

MARY, THE MOTHER OF WASHINGTON, 

Styled in sober truth, by her immortal son, as 

"The Most Beautiful Woman He Had Evek Beheld." 

So, also, among these national works, are portraits of America's 

Great Engineer — Robert Fultoj?^ — and his lovely 

wife, niece of Chancellor Livingston, 

and the 

Portrait of Mary Phillipse, "Washington's Early Love." 
All of which have like unique merit of rarity. 

The collection comprises altogether fifteen portraits: — 

1. Mary, the Mother of Washington, by Middleton. 

2. Mary Phillipse, by Middleton. 

3. Profile portrait of Washington, by Sharpies. 

4. Full-face portrait of Washington, by Sharpies. 

5. Martha, Wife of Washington, by Sharpies. 

6. Priestley, the Philosopher and Divine, by Sharpies. 

7. Chief Justice Marshall, by Sharpies. 

8. The Wife of Genei-al Hamilton, nee Schuyler, by Sharpies. 

9. Mrs. Van Rensselaer, by Sharpies. 

10. Patrick Henry's daughter, by Sharpies. 

11. Miss Field, by Sharpies. 

12. Miss Jay, by Sharpies. 

13. Robert Fulton, by Sharpies. 

14. Robert Fulton, his wife, nee Livingston, by Sharpies. 

1.5. Angelica Peale, daughter of the Artist, and who placed the 
laurel wreath on Washington's head on his entry into New 
York to assume the Presidential office, by Sharpies. 
Each of the above-named women possessed great personal 

charms, rendering them agreeable stibjects to the artists who 



handed them down to posterity. Included with these is the 
celebrated painting in oils of Peter Stuyvesant's "Renowned 
Army Entering New York;" so graphically described by Wash- 
ington Irving in his Knickerbocker History. 

The descriptive details given of the history of all the paintings 
are taken from a work published by Scribner's Sons, of New 
York, entitled, " Memorials of Washington, and of Mary his 
Mother, and Martha his Wife, from letters and papers of Robert 
Gary and James Sharpies, by James Walter, retired major 4th 
Lancashire Artillery (British Army List)." 

Attention is at first naturally riveted to the Grand Presenta- 
tion of 

Maey, the Mother of Washington, 

and which, though a century and a half of years have rolled by 
since the glorious picture was painted by Captain Middleton (an 
officer of the British Army attached to the colonial force de- 
tailed for service, who had studied under the most eminent 
artists of his time, and had practiced professionally in por- 
traiture), stands out in all its simple grandeur and beauty, and, 
thanks to English protective care, as fresh as though it had left 
the easel but yesterday. 

It can truthfully be said that Middleton' s portrait of Mary 
Washington, consequent on its entirely unique character, apart 
from her great beauty, is beyond any money value; it stands 
alone as of an interest and importance second to no other paint- 
ing in the world. 

It has been generally believed that no portrait of Washing- 
ton's mother existed. The error is removed. Washington pos- 
sessed such a portrait, and for which Americans may be pro-- 
foundly grateful. 

Mary was enceinte at the time of the execution of this, the 
only portrait for which she ever sat. George came into the 
world four months after the completion of Middleton' s lovely 
picture. 

How wide are the sympathies evoked where the trail of great- 
ness is in the pathway! The mother of such a man as Washing- 
ton must ever be an object of eager interest. The dark shadow 
of the grave, though enfolding her remains in its unbroken 
silence, has happily been prevented hiding from succeeding 
generations the features of her to whom the world owes so 
much. 

The painting was terribly mutilated during a journey to head- 



quarters in Pliiladelpliia, being reduced to such a condition as 
to prevent its being bung in any but a bed-chamber. Sliarples, 
when at Mount Vernon painting the great chief and his wife, 
was consulted as to wliat could be done witli it. A huge hole 
had been ground out of its center, through abrasion of the 
posts of a bedstead carelessly placed in the wagon with the 
portrait, and its condition during many years was most woe-be- 
gone. Several partially disjointed pieces of the canvas had been 
roughly glued on an improvised back, and, although by this 
rude contrivance its more serious injuries were concealed, yet 
it was not presentable for mural decoration. Like a truly affec- 
tionate son, Washington ever retained it, worried and tattered 
as it was, in his bedroom, where it remained until sent to Eng- 
land — whether to Mr. Gary in Sharpies' charge, when he re- 
turned after his first visit to America, is not known; but cer- 
tain it is that Sharpies and Gary were both concerned, not only 
in the means taken for its repair, but they went a step further, 
and after the paint had been transferred to a new canvas, its 
restoration, or, as termed in the memoranda, its "doing up," 
was confided to one of the ablest artists in portraiture then liv- 
ing, named Bird, who was a Royal Academician and portrait- 
painter to the Princess Gharlotte. Whether Sharpies was alive 
and i^ersonally consulted Bird is not known. Shari^les himself 
knew Bird, who appears to have been a personal friend of Rob- 
ert Gary, Washington's agent, the man to whom America is 
indebted for the portraits of Washington and his wife. 

" Oh ! that those lips had language. Life has passed 
With me but roughly since I heard thee last. 
Those lips are thine —thy own sweet smile I see, 
The same that oft in childhood solaced me : 
Voice only fails, eke how distinct they say, 
' Grieve not, my child ; chase all thy fears away! ' 
The meek intelligence of those dear eyes 
(Blest be the art that can immortalize — 
The art that baffles Time's tyrannic claim 
To quench it) here shines on me still the same."— Coivp&r. 



WASHESTGTON ON HIS MOTHER'S PORTRAIT. 

All doubt as to the portrait of Mary, Washington's mother, 
is prevented by a letter from Mount Vernon, bearing date 1192, 
several years before Sharpies painted there, and which is ad- 
dressed to Mr. Gharles Garter, who married a niece of Washing- 
ton. It is a communication in reply to one evidently on private 



6 

matters. He had offered his services in getting the painting 
repaired, and which Washington declined. Washington's 
yearning to his mother's portrait evidences endearment and 
devoted affection. Mr. Carter would appear to have asked for 
an appointment in the War Office; failing this, an army com- 
mission for his son, and that he should be admitted as a resi- 
dent member in the General's family. The General explains his 
utter inability to accede, and in his usual straightforward lan- 
guage explains his mode of dealing with such applications. As 
applicable to his mother's portrait, it is reproduced. 

" Mouis-T VEENOiSr, May 19, 1792. 

" My DEAK Sib: Tour letter of the 30th ult. was on its way 
to Philadelj)hia while I was on my journey to this place, owing 
to which I did not receive it until reverberated; this must be 
my apology for not giving the recei])t of it an earlier acknowl- 
edgment. 

" It is very good of you to offer to get the presumed needful 
done to my mother's portrait, painted by an Englishman named 
Middleton, who formerly had a commission in the British ser- 
vice, and who had been a professional artist in England, Eob- 
ert Cary has frequently urged its being sent to London, that he 
might confide the repair of the hole and the completion of the 
picture itself — which, but for the face, is by most persons 
deemed imperfect — to one of the most eminent English paint- 
ers; but I have been so long accustomed to look on the mutila- 
tion as almost to disregard it. The porti-ait is identified with 
my whole life. My mother gave it me, and the large hole was 
thrust through it in course of wagon travel to Philadelphia 
quarters. Under the disfigurement, Mrs. Washington and my- 
self preferred it hanging in my bedroom, where its wounded, 
unfinished, and apparently neglected condition escapes frequent 
unpleasant remark. Any change wrought in the picture, be- 
yond repairing the hole, would be the reverse of improvement 
to my eye. I am happy above measure in having it, wounded 
and apparently neglected as it is, rather than incur the penalty 
of its absence. 

" It would give me pleasure to receive your son into my family 
if it could be made tolerably convenient to me, or if any advan- 
tage was likely to result from it to the young gentleman himself. 
I was in no real want even of Howell Lewis, but understanding 
that he was spending his time rather idly, and at the same time 
very slenderly provided for by his father, I thought for the few 
months which remained to be accomplished of my own servitude, 



by taking him under my care I miglit impress liim with ideas and 
give him a turn to some pursuit or other that might be service- 
able to him hereafter; but vv^hat that will be I am at present as 
much at loss to decide as you would be; for, as the heads of the 
different departments have by law the appointment of their own 
clerks^are responsible for the conduct of them— are surrounded 
always with applicants, and, I presume, have their own inclina- 
tions and friends to gratify — I never have in a single instance, 
and I am pretty sure I shall not begin now, recommended any- 
oiie to either of them. 

" My family, now Howell is admitted into it, will be more than 
full, and in truth more than is convenient for the house — as Mr. 
Dandridge, a nephew of Mrs. Washington, is already one of it, 
and but one room for him, Howell, and another person to sleep 
in; all the others being appropriated to public or private uses 
(the words 'purposes, although it is one of the largest houses in 
the city,' followed here, but had been marked through by the 
General's pen). 

"If your son Charles is of age, and it should be your and his 
own inclination to pursue a military course, I would, if any 
vacancy shoiikl happen (at present there is none) in one of the 
regiments, endeavor to place him therein. You will perceive I 
have made age the condition — the reason is, it is established as 
a rule in the War Office to appoint none l^nowingly that are 
under it. 

With love to Mrs. Carter, 

Faithfully yours, 

Geoeqe Washington." 
"Chakles Carter." 



LORD LTISTDHIJRST, LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF 

ENGLAND, HER PORTRAIT'S GUARDIAN 

AND SPONSOR. 

The interest evinced in these portraits by the late Lord Lynd- 
hurst Avas the first moving cause of their being brought into 
prominence. Closely on their arrival in England, his lordship 
stated they would unquestionably be adopted as the typical por- 
traits of the Washingtons. The pictures would probably have 
dropped out of knowledge at Robert Gary's death, but for his 
admonitions. Lord Lyndhurst was an American citizen by 
birth, who through vast abilities raised himself to the dignity 
of Chancellor of England. His father, John Singleton Copley, 



8 

was bom in Boston, in 1738, and went to England in 1776, where 
he knew Sharpies. Copley was self-educated, and before leav- 
ing for England painted Washington. 

Copley acquired fame, and was elected a member of the Royal 
Academy. Lord Lyndhurst was in the habit of biiying up por- 
traits executed by his father. Through his father and Romney 
he knew Sharpies and his portraits of the Washingtons well. 
Robert Gary apprised him of the arrival of the tattered frag- 
ments of Middleton's ISIary "Washington, and that "Bird had 
them in hand." He went to see the "wreck," and took inter- 
est in the restoration. Lord Lyndhurst continually visited at 
Cary's, bringing American friends to see the portraits. He 
always asserted that Middleton's presentment of Mary made 
her " the grandest and most lovely woman I ever looked upon," 
and that " every lineament of Washington's countenance is seen 
and traced in that of his motlier." He remarked to Robert 
Gary, "I know no other such instance." Lyndhurst was the 
greatest orator in the House of Peers, and held his mighty 
powers until past ninety years of age. When he brought 
Daniel Webster — a fellow.majestic intellect — to see these por- 
traits, he observed, "Mr. Cary has done more for America than 
any other man, in having been the means of securing to the 
world these portraits." On a later occasion, when Mary's por- 
trait was with the'others loaned to his lordship for the gratifi- 
cation of some American friends dining with him, he obsei'ved, 
"Americans will some day come by tens of thousands to look 
on that i^ortrait of the most beautiful of all women." 

Nothing has been traced among Mr. Cary's letters or mem- 
oranda showing when or through whom the portrait of Mary 
Washington was sent to England for the necessary repair. Mrs. 
Sharpies clearly had it in possession after her husband's death, 
and would api^ear to have held it for several years later. There 
would seem to have been a great deal done to it, according to a 
communication made by her to Mrs. Morgan, of Albany, to 
whom the widow had written, stating that she had twice ad- 
dressed Mr. Custis, son of Lady Washington, on the matter, but 
had not received any reply. However wrecked its condition 
before voyaging to England, it is now the portrait of a very 
beautiful woman, and reflects the highest credit on Bird's res- 
toration. True were Washington's words to Sharpies as to his 
mother being the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. It 
would be sad to know that after Washington and his wife's 
death there should have been wanting, in those of his family 
left behind, heed for the portrait of his mother to which he had 



clung with sucli fond affection. It certainly does seem that, 
with its disappearance from Mount Vernon, the poor maimed 
heirloom had ceased having any reverent guardian. This points 
to the conclusion that it had left there some time before his 
death. 

All that is known is that the tattered picture was transferred 
to a new canvas, and that when this had been accomplished, it 
was i)laced in the hands of Bird, a Royal Academician, for him, 
as is presumed, to deal with as he deemed best. Bird was an 
eminent man, and we may be assured dealt with it in every way 
that was best calculated to render it what friends would desire 
it to be. He had instructions to do all that could be done in 
improving the picture, every care l»eing taken to preserve the 
likeness. The portrait as it came off Bird's easel was doubt- 
less in every way greatly improved. It is now unmistakably the 
work of a good painter, although a skilled examiner may say 
that more than one person had a hand in it. It is not an Opei 
or a Eomney, but is, nevertheless, a thoroughly able work, and 
the whole Avorld has cause of rejoicing tliat it fell into Bird's 
hands, and that a man of the sound judgment and discretion of 
Robert Gary had the selection of the artist to whom such a 
treasure should be entrusted. 

The feeling of the cultured community in regard to the peer- 
less treasure was thus eloquently expressed by E. H. Clements, 
chief editor of the Boston Transcript, in its editorial columns 
on 3d November : — 

" The MoTHEK OF Washington! Breathes there an Ameri- 
can — or Englishman either, for that matter — who can stand 
before the lovely picture, which is certified beyond cavil as hav- 
ing been painted, or rather finished, about three weeks before 
George Washington was born — a canvas wliicb Washington so 
adored as the true and loved image of his mother that he 
always kept it near him — without sensations of mingled awe, 
joy and triumphant affection? The resemblance is unmistak- 
able; not only in feature, but in traits of a deeper nature, and 
especially in the air of high-bred dignity sustained by solid 
character, and of gentle sweetness still not unconscious of 
power to command and control. This was the mother of 
Washington, indeed!" 

Sharpies' widow, in the first instance, paid the costs of the 
restoration, though from the painting being afterward found 
in Mr. Gary's possession, it would appear that he, as Washing- 
ton's friend, had recouped her. There is nothing to show that 



10 

tlie Custis family ever made any application for the portrait to 
be returned to America, neither is there any evidence that Gary 
troubled himself about the money or sought to quit himself 
of the imposed possession. At the time of Sharpies' return 
to America, the portrait of Washington's mother was left 
behind, and nothing more regarding it was traceable in any 
after communications. Mr. Gary re-imbursed Mrs. Shaples her 
payment to Bird, and the picture seems never afterward to have 
been claimed. 

It would appear clear, that but for Mrs. Sharpies and Robert 
Gary, it might have shared the sad fate of thousands of other 
family portraits, in being carted away to a broker's shop as an 
article of mural furnishing. Even as such, Mary Washington 
would have held her own; she is, and ever will be, a beautiful 
woman. 



GENERAL GRANT SEES THE PORTRAIT OF MART. 

During his last visit to England, General Grant saw the por- 
trait of Washington's mother. Miss Edwardes, the owner, 
grand-niece of the Carys, having had his wish intimated to her, 
very graciously sent it to London, in order that he might be 
gratified without making special journey into ISTorthampton- 
sliire. Grant thus feelingly acknowledged her kind attention: 

"General Grant presents his respectful compliments to Miss 
Edwardes, the envied owner of the Middleton painting of Mary 
Washington, and begs to tender her his hearty thanks for exceed- 
ing kindness in sending to London, for his convenience and grati- 
fication, this admirable and evidently 'to the life' portrait of 
Mary Washington, who, above all others, must be held in deepest 
affection and exalted remembrance by every American. 

"When mentioning at the Legation his desire to see the por- 
trait, he had no wish, much less any intention, to put Miss Ed- 
wardes to the trouble of sending the treasure so long a distance, 
he therefore esteems more highly the honor conferred. He had 
seen the two portraits of General Washington, and that of Mar- 
tha, his wife, by Sharpies, owned by Mr. Robert Gary, who, he 
now learns, was great-uncle of Miss Edwardes. He fully real- 
izes all that his countrymen have said regarding the excellence 
of these fine paintings, and their value, not alone to the people 
among whom should be their home, but to the whole world. 

"Of the many kindnesses shown him by friends in England, 
none is more deeply impressed. He has not removed the paint- 



11 

ing from the case, and has returned it in charge of a special 
messenger from the Legation. All endeavors to see Sharpies' 
portrait of Kobert Fulton, or to ascertain its owner, have been 
ineffectual. Should Miss Edwardes be enabled to help this ob- 
ject, his obligations would be further increased. 

"Whenever the day arrives for the return of these paintings to 
America, Congress will, he doubts not, unanimously do its duty 
in the matter. The painting of Mary Washington has especial 
claims as the only portrait of her known to exist. General Grant 
had hoped that Middleton's portrait was free for disposition; he 
hears, therefore, with regret that family arrangements prevent, 
for a few years, this desired accomplishment. 

"General Grant begs to repeat his becoming sense of the honor 
done him, as also to express his entire confidence that at the 
proper time Miss Edwardes' family will give due weight to his 
countrymen's natural wish to possess the gem, happily for 
America, under her family control." 

EMEESON AND THE POETEAITS. 

On the occasion of Emerson's last voyage to England, when 
visiting with his daughter in the family of Mr. Flower, at Strat- 
ford-on-Avon, he was very desirous of seeing the portrait of 
Washington's mother, by Middleton. All efforts to trace it 
then proved unavailing, though had application been made at 
the American Legation, the place of all others seeming most 
likely to give the desired whereabouts, the mystery would have 
been solved. In order for a correct understanding of the past 
and present state of the holding of the various Sharpies Wash- 
ington portraits, it is best to explain that, some time after the 
death of Eobert Gary, the three portraits passed out of his 
brother's hands; so, also, the painting of Washington's mother 
changed hands, and they were for a short iDcriod dispersed. 
Their value to America caused their after purchase by one 
family, and, with the exception of the Mary, they have never 
since been separated. The portrait of Washington's mother 
ran great risk in being for a short time under divided family 
holding. It is, however, now controlled by the same family as 
the other pictures, although for a period of years Mary Wash- 
ington's portrait was separated from the others. The blessed 
mother, subject of her son's deep anxiety for so many years, 
got spirited away to the neighborhood of Northampton, where 
she rested peacefully for some ten years ; next for the honor of 
extending hospitality to her was the city of Bath, where for a 



12 

short time she dwelt in obscurity, since which she has found a 
quiet, appreciative home in Sussex. A few years prior to Mr 
Gary's death, these paintings, second in historic value to no 
other portraits in tlie world, came near a riide scatter, and 
would probably have been irretrievably lost, the younger Gary, 
the inheritor, being entirely ignorant of his elder brother's close 
association with Washington; Through sagacious timely advice 
of Lord Lyndhurst the family decided not to part with the por- 
traits; each, therefore, took one, the portrait of Mary, by Mid- 
dleton, falling to Mrs. Edwardes, Robert Gary's sister. Good 
advisers, conscious of their ultimate value, have since been 
always ready with best cotinsel, though there have been days of 
darkness when the perils of separation seemed imminent. 

The occasional unknown whereabouts of the portraits during 
the last seventy years is easily explained. Nobody having con- 
trol over them heeded or could serve any object in bringing them 
into notoriety. For a time they may be said to have had no 
owners. After this period of doubt and neglect, the whole were 
with much foresight acquired by one and the same person. There 
were, however, clauses in a family settlement of the pictures pre- 
venting their sale, as also their being engraved, until an inter- 
ested minor became of age. It was this specific, though as it 
proved happy, provision that stood in the way of Washington 
Irving having them engraved for his "Life of Washington." 
Irving was deeply anxious for this permission. His first appli- 
cation was made in 1854, and was followed up by frequent com- 
munications during the succeeding ten years.' He tried every 
means to get over the legal diiSculty, but eventually admitted 
that the hoped permission to engrave the portraits could not be 
given. 

Emerson, the great Essayist, thus wrote of these portraits: — 

"I would have willingly crossed the Atlantic, if only to look 
on these portraits, so priceless to our people. Future ages will 
glory in their existence. There are those who assert that ' ven- 
eration ' is quitting in our national character, fickleness taking 
its place. If so, it is difficult of exi^lanation, save through the 
frequent changes of government. Of this we may be certain, 
that whatever occasional aberrations may be manifested, the 
loyal and good of our people will never swerve in their devotion 
to him who must ever be the corner-stone of our fabric, and 
whose star will burn more and more resplendent as ages develop. 

"It has not fallen to my lot to get a look at the portrait of 
Washington's mother, and which I believe is a fine pictuie. I 



13 

\ 
bad always been under tbe belief tbat it was painted by Sbarples, \ 
and owned by tbe same family as possess tbe portraits of our first 
President and bis wife. Sucb is not tbe case. Tbe portrait of 
tbe motber of Wasbington, tbougb some eigbty years ago owned 
by tbe same brancb of tbe Gary family as possessed tbe Sbarples 
portraits, bas since passed away to a younger brancb, and I 
bave been unable to trace it. Tbere is, bowever, no doubt as to 
its existence. Many of our people wbo know tbe owning family 
get access to its abode, wbicb I bear is in Nortbamptonsbire. 
Wasbington' s motber' s portrait, painted by an Englisb officer 
named Middleton, must not be mixed up witb tbe American 
female beauties outlined by Sbarples, and, so far as four or five 
are concerned, finisbed by tbe eminent Englisb painter Mac- 
lise, and wbicb are in tbe family bere owning tbe Sbarples 
Wasbington portraits. 

" Tbese portraits must some day return to us. Well will it be 
for our women to see and know Martba Wasbington in tbe 
faitbfulness sbe is rendered by Sharpies, to realize tbat bouse- 
wifery is a great duty, and tbat in ber day it was deemed as 
creditable for women to spin and weave as it was in tbe days of 
King Solomon, wbo in tbe Book of Proverbs describes an bonor- 
able woman : ' Sbe layetb ber bands to tbe spindle, and ber 
bands bold tbe distaff. Sbe looketb Avell to tbe ways of ber 
bousebold, and eatetb not tbe bread of idleness.' Or in tbe 
days of Homer, made tbe use of tbe distaff and loom tbe em- 
ployment of royal women : — 

" ' Alcandra, consort of his high command, 
A golden distaff gave to Helen's hand; 
And that rich vase, with living sculpture wrought, 
"Which, heaped with wool, the beauteous Philo brought. 
The silken fleece, impurpled for the loom, 
Recalled the hyacinth in vernal bloom.' " 

DANIEL WEBSTER ON THE PORTRAITS. 

No bigber bomage can be rendered tbese paintings tban tbat 
bestowed by tbe statesman wbose greatness is so interwoven 
witb tbe nation's dignity, tbat tbe occasion of bis deatb seemed 
as if some grand governing member of a system was stricken 
from its orbit. Speaking at a pubHc dinner in England, in 1839, 
Daniel Webster said : — 

"It bas been my privilege to visit a peaceful bome wbere lives 
in canvas delineation tbe man wbose purity and greatness must fill 
tbe universe until tbe world sball be no more. Wasbington is 
tbere — and to tbe life — tbrougb tbe power of tbe painter 
Sbarples." 



14 



ROBERT GARY, THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE 
SHARPLES PORTRAITS. 

Robert Gary, from whom all the portraits forming this 
priceless collection appear to have come down to his descend- 
ants of the present time, was a highly esteemed merchant of 
London. Through a long series of years, and until his death, 
he held more than intimate intercourse with Washington. He 
was a most devoted adherent and rendered loyal sei'vice to the 
Great Ghief on many occasions in Europe, when wily enemies 
endeavored to vmdermine him. He is known to have been 
intrusted with the management of important and most delicate 
political matters, and to have been the medium of intercourse 
between Washington, Burke, and Lord Erskine during moment- 
ous times. John Jay, when Minister to England, was almost a 
daily visitor to Gary, whose devotion to the Great Patriot will 
some day form a theme for the world's admiration. 

From knowledge of Washington's nobility of character, and 
great services to his country, ajid through confidential relations, 
he had personally become greatly endeared to Robert Gary; so 
much so that "I greatly covet the illustrious general, my loved 
friend's portrait, by a competent painter who shall do justice to 
the noble subject." So wrote Gary at the time. His whole 
heart, as his purse, was in the matter, and we accoi-dingly find 
Sharpies sent over the seas to compass his yearning; "having 
satisfied myself," as he added, "by several interviews with my 
friend, George Romney, that Mr. Sharpies, whom he recom- 
mends for the purpose, will produce such a work as will meet 
my wish, and be worthy of the greatest of all men." 

Romney had become advanced in years. Sharpies was his 
pupil, and we may be assured he would select one he deemed 
best as an artist to do justice to the subject; Washington being 
then the admired of the whole world, and Robert Gary an old 
friend he was desirous to serve. Romney came out of Lanca- 
shire, so did Sharpies ; there were thus birth ties as well as pro- 
fessional associations between the master and his disciple; and 
although there is nothing to show that the latter was a man of 
great note among artists, yet it must be borne in mind "there 
were giants in those days" in England's portrait world, and no 
pretence is made that Sharpies ranked among them. To have 
sent out either of the stars then shining in portraiture, who 
would have needed at least eight months' absence — seven and 



15 

eight weeks being in those days no uncommon length of the 
voyage either way— was out of the question; for, although 
Millais' two thousand guineas fee for a single head had not yet 
cropped up, yet very respectable prices were earned; Sharpies 
himself, as a junior unblessed by fame, charging fifty guineas, 
and getting it — this at a time when men of means were few 
and far between. His passage outward was paid, and even on 
his first visit he walked on shore in anything but an impecuni- 
ous condition, as his wife states that he, on landing, went and 
made a deposit of over two hundred pounds in a iS"ew York bank, 
as a nest-egg. It is by no means certain that this comfortable 
start was to his advantage. Instead of setting to work, and 
knocking off his commissions, he would appear to have taken 
things easy. There remains nothing to show the precise date 
at which he commenced or finished his two portraits of Wash- 
ington, one a full-face in military uniform, the other a profile, 
and one of Martha, Washington's wife, a profile. 

All that is certain regarding his work at the time, is that the 
portraits reached England during 1797. Three years and more 
had thus expired in the interval of his landing and the pictures 
arrival. There was no holding on to them for exhibition pur- 
poses after their completion. Washington and his wife each 
gave their first sittings at Mount Vernon; the General after- 
ward gave him two final sittings in Philadelphia, but Lady 
Washington sat to him only at Mount Vernon. The portrait 
of Martha was a present from her to Mr. Gary, and the profile 
was a gift from Washington. The full-face is the portrait com- 
missioned by Mr. Gary, and for the production of which Sharpies 
came out to America. All three pictures were taken to ]S"ew 
York, and finished there by Sharpies in his own house in 
Greenwich Street, and were at once sent off to England. Mrs. 
Sharpies, in a letter to Mr. Gary, dwells on the advantage her 
husband would have derived from an exhibition of the por- 
traits, and which she said had been "seen by nobody but 
General Hamilton, Governor Morris, General ISTorth, Mr. Van 
Rensselaer, De Witt Clinton, Ghief Justice Marsliall, Judge 
Hobart, the Barclays, Ghancellor Livingston, Judge Kent, the 
Jays, and intimate friends of the family visiting at Mount Ver- 
non; whereas, if we could have been permitted the opportunity 
to exhibit them in Philadelphia, and here in IN^ew York, it would 
have benefibed my husband greatly." 

The portraits have, through unbroken continuity, been since 
generally known of, and seen by, such public men of America 
as, through occasions of going to England, were enabled to avail 



16 

themselves of sucli to visit Mr. Gary, who up to the time of his 
death always felt a pleasure in showing the three portraits to 
any persons desirous, as he was wont to term it, of "i^aying 
court to my distinguished guests." Use of the word "guest" 
would indicate some design on his part to be the instrument of 
their return to America; and yet he possibly felt that he could 
hardly present that which had been given to himself. Gary was 
a bachelor, full of chivalry, and there was nobody to inherit 
these heirlooms excepting a younger unmarried brother and 
one sister. She had become Mrs. Edwardes, and will be seen 
to hold a trust of deep interest to every American heart, inas- 
much as it fell to her lot to inherit the priceless treasure, the 
portrait of Mary, mother of George Washington, painted by an 
artist named Middleton. At her death the painting passed into 
the possession of her unmarried daughter, Eleanor Edwardes. 

The origin and growth of the more than friendship between 
Gary and Washington has been shown; how, when Washington 
was serving as an English officer, Gary became his agent in Lon- 
don, his firm holding, from many officers and their families, com- 
missions of like kind. It is in no way strange that, out of busi- 
ness transactions of mutual dependence, friendships sprang up 
between the parties, having the ultimate effect of merging the 
mere mercantile agency duties with ties of closest family asso- 
ciation and confidence. Sharing the lot of other illustriou.s men, 
the world's great patriot had secret enemies, puny as they were. 
Gary, as the friend of Burke, and enjoying the confidence of pub- 
lic men in Europe, laid bare their machinations. 

Old Gustom House records show that Gary & Go. received 
produce from over twenty families, many of them English offi- 
cers who had relinquished their military callings, and in numer- 
ous instances had laid hold of the plough instead. 

Others had adopted mercantile pursuits, as in the case of Bar- 
clay & Go., of New York, one of the oldest firms thus originally 
springing out of soldier origin. Mr. Barclay had held an officer's 
commission, and at the time there Avas quite a number of gentle- 
men sitting at the desk in " counting-houses" — offices had not 
then obtained admission into the vernacular of New York, — and 
who, from varying causes, and under specially occurring oppor- 
tunities, had with honor melted down their swords. The Eng- 
lish War Office regulations did not then allow any donning of 
military uniform at the bidding good-bye to the service. There 
could be no dressing up with gold lace, or "buckling of a rapier," 
after the relinquishment fiat had gone forth. Soldiering meant 
fighting with designated instruments of warfare, not with the 



17 

goose-quill. In IS'ew Orleans there were lialf-a-dozen "old sol- 
dier firms," as they were characteristically nicknamed, and in 
Charleston several. Richmond, in Virginia, boasted of several of 
the new order; and it is an evidence of Washington's steadfast- 
ness of character and adherence to uninterrupted friendship, 
that through life he stuck to Gary & Co., in London, and to 
Barclay & Co., of New York; the one for the conversion of his 
tobaccos into hard dollars, and their due and safe transmission 
to his clutch, the latter for their transport over the seas in "good 
and safe bottoms." 

Good Eobert Cary was one of the old-fashioned type. He man- 
aged all correspondence with clients in America in proper form 
and good style, and never huckstered in the matter of commis- 
sions. Copying-books had not in those days been evoluted. Fine 
thick water-lined laid foolscap was the medium of communica- 
tion. ISTone of your miserable modern paper from straw, but 
manufactured of linen rags and none other; free of slippery 
gloss, tempting the pen into tautologous meandering; each sheet 
bearing the maker's "water-mark" duly recorded thereon, as 
evidence of its worth in durability and toughness. " Whatman 
& Co.," of Kentish renown, led the van of "true foolscap." 
Robert Cary & Co., and their ilk, would have no other, and each 
recurring spring, as a good ship was "entered out" for New 
York, a ream of this coveted papyrus was sent to Colonel Wash- 
ington, with a supply of quill-pens, and two pounds of sealing- 
wax of no other brand than Walkden & Co. Ink, too, there went, 
of famed fabricate, and three bundles of pink tape wherewith to 
tie the Colonel's bundles of documents. The hst shows that a 
packet of "pounce" was included in the annual requirement. 
It will puzzle hurried men of to-day to translate "pounce." It 
was an article of finely granulated sand, for dusting on manuscript 
to prevent blotting : blotting-paper had not then sprung into life, 
and the head of the new nation was a man of almost unique care 
and neatness in all appertaining to his caligraphy. Robert Cary , 
to supply such wants, did not go into the next street to a station- 
er's shop; he opened direct communication with this notable J. 
Whatmaji, who, after specifying the weight per ream, sent it " up 
to London" by the weekly carrier. 

But there were divers other things to be assembled for these 
annually recurring shipments. Home gastronomic comforts had 
to be thought of. Like Meg and Trotty Veck in Dickens' 
goblin story of "The Chimes," the General has a penchant for 
tripe. So important was the delicacy in his Lady AVashington's 
eyes, that Robert Cary was specially charged to ship him on one 



18 

occasion no less a bulk than four huge earthen vessels, each of 
which is ordered to be "wicker-bound," and recased in a cask, to 
guard against fracture and spilling the precious contents. Gary, 
it is seeii from Washington's warm acknowledgment, had been 
in the habit of sending him presents of the coveted Bristol pickled 
article. Two such jars liad recently made safe travel to Mount 
Vernon, and, as the Duke of Wellington would have done in like 
position of long distance from the provisioning base, the wary 
warrior looked ahead, backed by an admission, made in explana- 
tion of the large consumption, that his molars were out of gear, 
three other such jars are requisitioned. The taste for pickled 
tripe of Bristol cure had been intoduced from the West India 
Islands into New Orleans and other places. Quite a commerce 
had grown up in it, and among the sugar planters it was a stand- 
ing dish. The largest stone jars held about two gallons; there 
was a special pottery at Bristol for their make, and each jar had 
the curer's name burnt in on the frontal, in order to make sure 
of the contents being genuine. There were several favorite 
brands largely consumed in the West Indies; that of "Hamlin," 
brought to Barbadoes by the ships of Thomas Daniel & Sons, was 
the quality and brand preferred of Washington. Gradually, as 
there arose a fondness for this tripe, direct imports occurred, and 
other English tripe-makers tried their hands ; but for a century or 
more "Bristol tripe" held its way against all comers and home 
fabricators. New York and Massachusetts men went into the 
curing, but the over-sea article defied them until cruel customs 
duties stepped in and ruthlessly swept away the monopoly. 



WASHINGTON ON THE PORTRAITS. 

The following highly characteristic letter of Washington, 
thanking his friend for a present of two huge jars of tripe, order- 
ing, as matter of business, a further supply of the succulent 
dainty, declining, on behalf of his wife and himself, any med- 
dling with duplicates of his or her portraits, and expressing 
their united opinions that the Sharpies portraits are the best 
ever executed, is of deepest interest: — 

"Dear Gary: Mrs. Washington joins me in warm thanks to 
you for your considerate present of two large jars of pickled 
tripe, which reached Mount Vernon in perfect condition. I must 
ask you to arrange for four similar jars in wicker-basket casing, 
packed in outer cask, to be shipped for my account direct from 
the curers in Bristol early in the season, when a vessel will be 



19 

leaving that port for New York. If consigned to Messrs. Barclay, 
those gentlemen will give the little matter their unvarying care. 
Dental infirmity impels my caring for this necessary item in our 
domestic commissariat. 

" I have been solicited by Colonel Trumbull and others to re- 
quest youi- permission for Mr. Sharpies to execute copies in oils, 
size of the originals, of the two portraits of myself and that of 
Mrs. Washington, and to name that if Mr. Sharpies thinks of re- 
turning to this country, a good opportunity would thus be found 
to bring them out. I cannot encourage any hope of commis- 
sions for expensive portraits in oils, such as these were. Our 
people cannot afford to pay the price. I shall ever value highly 
the friendship prompting the great outlay on your part. 

" It is agreed on all hands that his two portraits of myself are, 
so far as likeness goes, by far the best of the many made ; hence 
the desire that the copies should be from the hand of the artist 
himself who painted the originals. In the instances of his fre- 
quent small pastel reproductions there is great inferiority. The 
copies I gave Judge Marshall are, perhaps, the best, but all are 
said to be very weak. My wife declines to join in asking your 
consent — I have imdertaken simply to name it; — to go beyond 
the mention would, it seems to me, be a clear impertinence. 

"In judging Mrs. Washington's seeming disinclination, it 
should be remembered that my having sat to Stuart has resulted 
in the country abounding in so-called ' originals.' 

"If it be your wish for the desired copies to be made, Mr. 
Sharpies should be required to enter into an undertaking they 
shall be painted in best manner of his capability; and in your in- 
terest he should be strictly confined to the execution of one copy 
only of each, and bound not to paint more ; so also he should 
undertake not to remove the pictures from your residence. 
Faithfully yours, 

George WASHiNGTOisr. 

"To KoBEBT Caky, Esq., Merchant in London." 

A very general opinion has always existed that the First Presi- 
dent did not personally favor the having copies of the Gary por- 
traits made, and a good deal of remark, not always favorable to 
Lady Washington, has been vented, charging her with being op- 
posed to the country getting permission for the execution of cop- 
ies. All this is pretty much set at rest by the publication of the 
letter from the General, which, though treating of private 
family matters, conclusively shows that he would have nothing 
whatever to do in it beyond laying the request before Mr. Gary. 



20 

Lady Washington is made to avow her refusal to join in the 
request; she evidently desired that the English portraits should 
be real, and that no tricks should be played with them. The 
artist had been, in her estimate, libei-ally paid for his work, it 
had given satisfaction, and there should be an end of it. No 
blame can reasonably attach to her in the business. She doubt- 
less had even stronger views on the matter than her husband. 
Stuart and. others had been multiplying their presentments of 
her husband whenever the opportunity offered from a good-pay- 
ing customer. Nothing may have been said as to actual "origi- 
nality," but the inference conveyed with each such at time of 
sale was, that the General sat for it; in other words, that they 
were painted from the life, whereas only one of Stuart's many 
productions was original in the true sense. Martha stepped in 
here to hedge round and protect the Sharpies portraits. She 
really wished that real worth should attach to them, and that 
they should be handed down to posterity unduplicated, and 
England for awhile would be their safest home. 

It was during a first stay in Philadelphia that Sharpies' letter 
from the English Secretary of State, introducing him to Wash- 
ington, was formally presented through the resident Minister, 
Mr. Hammond. There could not have been any need of this 
formality, as Mr. Gary's letter to Washington was more than 
sufficient to obtain the desired object. In common, however, 
with the routine style of the old merchant of those days, Mr. 
Gary did everything en regie ; hence the formal document as ad- 
vance-guard. No time was lost in Sharpies' being honored with 
access to the illustrious chief, the object of his mission. The 
General did not formally wait the painter's appearing at Mount 
Vernon; he very considerately sought him out in Philadelphia, 
and expressed much gratification at his being domiciled in the 
house of "my friend, Mr. Franklin." He and Franklin were 
honored by dining with "His Excellency" the following day, in 
the quarters he retained for occupation on occasion of his visits 
to Philadelphia, which were not infrequent. At this family 
party, arrangements were made for his visits to Mount Yernon. 
As proof of Washington's liberality, and the nice delicacy prompt- 
ing and attending his carrying out such acts, when Sharpies 
came to settle with Franklin for a month's board — and it included 
that of his wife and two children, for a like period — he was, in 
tones of whisper, informed that " everything has been settled by 
the General." The intimation was accompanied with hints ad- 
vising calm submission, and with assurance that the liberal allow- 
ance of port wine had been included in the score, not omitting 



21 

sundry bottles of archaic whiskey. Sharpies' noble portrait of 
Priestley was a product of like happy circumstances, attending 
the perpetviation of the godlike lineaments of Washington. But 
for Gary and Benjamin Franklin, the world would have been 
without either. 



TRUMBULL AND SHARPLES GREAT FRIENDS.— LETTER 

FROM TRUMBULL REGARDING THE PORTRAITS 

OF WASHINGTON. 

Benjamin West's home in London was a home to Sharpies, \ 
Fulton, and Trumbull. All were friends, and when in London, 
were in habit of continually meeting here, as they also did at 
Robert Gary's residence. It would appear that Trumbull first 
saw the portraits as finished works in London, and at once con- 
cluded how desirable it was that Sharpies shoiild execute copies 
for America, and thus urgently pressed him in the following letter 
to Mrs. Sharpies, found among her papers at her decease. The 
artist's wife is selected as a medium of communication, being 
deemed more likely of successful intercession with Mr. Gary, 
Mrs. Washington being adverse to the suit. 

In his earnest anxiety that America should possess copies of 
the Washington portraits executed by the artist himself, Trum- 
bull addressed the following imploring letter to Mrs. Sharpies 
urging her to use influence with Mr. Gary. Sharpies and his 
wife were at the time in England, having returned thither after 
executing the portraits. It will readily be seen that Martha 
Washington was the obstruction to any copies being made. 

"It is much to be hoped you will indu.ce Mr. Gary to change 
his determination, so as to allow your husband to duplicate his 
portraits of the General and Mrs. Washington. The small pastels 
are but poor ideas of the original oils, and we are unable to see 
why Mr. Gary should have permitted their reproduction after this 
manner, and yet disallow the original oils, which all here re- 
member with such satisfaction. It is a pity consent had not 
been given before the three portraits left for England, Mrs. 
Washington, as you know, was really the cause of the difficulty; 
why she raised it is passing strange. Had she solicited Mr. Gary 
he would have felt flattered. Her reply to all endeavors of in- 
ducement was, that it would lessen the value of the portraits in 
Mr. Gary's estimate. All blame her. Many will never forgive 
her desire for English exclusive possession. Martha's blue 
blood often crops out. 



22 

"Mr. Sharpies is aware I was in Europe when his oils of the 
Washingtons were finished. I saw them first in company with 
the Hon., John Jay at Mr. Gary's, in London. It was a revelation 
to us both I shall never forget, they being his first canvas work 
seen by me. We both told Mr. Gary of their national import, but 
dared not then intimate to him the importance of duplicates being 
painted for America. The matter of Sharpies' charge need not 
be considered. Mr. Jay is ready with the cost, to which sevei'al 
more are willing to join. Even if you had made a special return 
visit to America — and I trust you will return — there would 
have been no chance of getting the General to go through any 
sitting ordeal repetition, so we are quite satisfied to put up with 
duplicates, and trust Mr. Gary will loan him the pictures for the 
purpose. The General, after so numerous occasions of torment 
by artists, many of them utterly unworthy of the great subject, 
and incapable of appreciating the honor conferred, became a 
most unwilling sitter, and vowed to Gilbert Stuart he would 
never again go through the penance process. His portrait is 
much admired, but to my eye, it is not the General; and I regret 
to say he is making numerous others, for none of which the 
General accorded a sitting. We must not, however, be hard on 
Stuart; the inducement is such as few of us could withstand. 
The General felt in durance with Stuart, who told me he knew 
not what to say or do to get the desired expression; and if he 
had, the chances are that nervousness would have prevented 
him seizing it. Only fancy using a model to get Washington's 
majesty of form ; and yet this was resorted to, although none 
approaching him could be found. The General admitted to 
Stuart that ' although your husband had been accorded many 
long sittings, and that he yielded to sit for two portraits, 
although only one had been arranged for, yet the occasions had 
been rendered convenient,' and that ' Sharpies' rapidity of work 
and master-hand had interested him throughout.' He added; 
' Sharpies had the advantage of entertaining me with amusing 
newly-imported anecdotes of public men in England, and es- 
pecially of the King, so that I never felt his sittings tedious or 
encroaching on my time; indeed, I looked forward pleasurably 
to our daily meetings at Mount Yernon and his interesting con- 
versation kept up during the whole time of work. Sharpies was 
a clever man outside his art occupation, and had some novel 
ideas on the subject of artillery; at the same time his brain 
worked with his lips, and he was evidently a good mechanic. 
He talked well and worked well at the same time, — no common 
endowments.' 



23 

" For myself, I had long despaired of his giving me another 
sitting. Had such been afforded I should have devoted it to 
studies for future hoped-for work, rather than any formal por- 
trait. This clear determination toward all artists make us 
doubly anxious that the country should possess your husband's 
portraits of him. We cannot get the life-originals, but we may, 
through Mr. Gary's assent, get the next best thing — copies by 
the hand that produced them from the life. The country has 
more than enough so-called ' portraits of Washington,' four fifths 
of them destitute of the faintest resemblance. Many of those 
for which he so humanely sat come under this category: the 
workers were so dazed in his presence they knew not what they 
were about. How greatly, under these circumstances, all future 
painters will be thrown back on the Houdon bust — and entirety, 
as it were — that nothing else carries, and it is certainly re- 
markable that deftness in clay-modeling has, in Washington's 
case, achieved that which the brush has yet failed to produce. 
When Jefferson, in Paris, presented, in 1785, Charles Willson 
Peale's portrait of Washington to Houdon, and which had been 
expressly painted for the purpose of conveying to him the form 
and features of his subject, he at once declined it, and, at great 
personal sacrifices, came out to Mount Yernon to see the great 
original himself. Our gratitude to Franklin for having brought 
him out is great. In looking at the Houdon, how few of our 
people know the fact that Houdon actually took a cast of the 
face, and worked out a model of the face from this. So also he 
eschewed all resort to other forms of men for retaining the maj- 
esty of the original. He took the closest m-easurements of 
every limb, and, being from the heart impressed with the world's 
future estimate of the man, has left it a work worthy of the sub- 
ject and the artist. Had he followed our people's wish we 
should have had something very secondary. It is no mere indi- 
vidual opinion that the Houdon bust is our best Washington, 
and I am expressing the feeling of all who have seen your hus- 
band's renderings of the great subject, that they are by far the 
ablest canvas attempts. They are both inspired by hfelike and 
with individual grandeur and dignity beyond any other represen- 
tations. They are far away from home, but the day will come 
for their rule in the world's heart as true presentments of Wash- 
ington. 

" The Pine, Stuart, Savage, and Willson Peale portraits, and, 
as I trust, some of my own humble productions, will be subjects 
for reference to future generations of artists, for their designed 
work, illustrative of the military achievements and struggles of 



24 

our people's great master-mind in the country's early infancy. 
But we need more, or future painters will be deficient in realistic 
work of reference. It is in hope of this supply we turn to Mr. 
Gary. Sharpies, in being welcomed and quartered at Mt. Ver- 
non, was, out of respect to his sponsor, placed in like position, 
and had extended to him all the advantages enjoyed by Houdon, 
Stuart, myself, and others, and we all admit his diligent avail- 
ing of the great opportunity and privilege. I am thus particu- 
lar, in order that Mr. Gary may know why duplicates of the 
Washington portraits are desired by us. Personally I am much 
interested, as they would afford authentic material to fall back 
upon for public work I have in contemplation, and there exists 
little else I could avail myself of with satisfaction. I do not 
believe the General will ever again sit to any one; it cannot be 
expected of him. Stuart will hardly produce anything more of 
real value, and I fear the General will not seek to influence Mr. 
Gary to give the needed permission. He has promised to name 
the matter, but we fear he will not go beyond a slight allusion, 
as any referring to portraits of himself he regards as savoring of 
vanity, and is most distasteful^ Apart from any other feeling, 
the continued multiplying of copies by men in whom confidence 
has been reposed has disgusted him, and it is to be feared he 
looks on the whole fraternity of artists as birds of a feather. 
Lady Washington does not favor the duplicating of Mr. Gary's 
portraits; she will discourage rather than help it. Both she and 
the General desire the existence of authentic portraits that have 
not been multiplied, and she favors England as their suitable 
resting-place. Having herself defrayed the cost of her own por- 
trait, she holds to have a voice in the matter. She knows how 
the President has, throughout his public life, been harassed and 
bored in sitting for portraits, the great majority of them worth- 
less. One of the Peale family had proved a very vampire on his 
time, and it says much for his amiability and patience that he 
so enduringly submitted to tyros palmed upon him by injudi- 
cious friends. In so new a country it was not probable artists 
should have been so soon raised up equal to the great call; we 
ought, therefore, to have brought out from England a Lawrence 
or a Gainsborough for this especial emergency. Mr. Gary, in 
sending Sharpies out, did a great national service, and it is 
hoped he may see public good in granting the favor sought. I 
have gone into the matter thus minutely, feeling no one else 
will take it up on right grounds, and also with the knowledge 
that Lady Washington will oppose copies of the portraits being 
made. I address myself to you, knowing Mi*. Sharpies will not 



25 

urge it with tlie force needed to induce Mr. Gary's consent; and, 
being yourself an artist, you will sympathize in our wish to have 
the duplicates. 

Stuart had not painted Washington prior to the time of Shar- 
pies' first visit, or he would certainly have seen it, and it would 
have been referi-ed to by the sitter himself in their many conver- 
sations. The only mention of Stuart traceable in papers left by 
Mrs. Sharpies, is Colonel Trumbull's remarks on his portraits, 
and the annoyance felt both by Washington and his wife that 
these should have been so indefinitely multiplied, and a letter 
from General Gates' wife, which contains this remarkable state- 
ment : — 

"Mrs. Washington, it is well known, does not like Stuart's 
portrait of her husband; he has made him too fierce, and then 
the nose is altogether what the artists deem 'out of drawing;' 
the distension of the nostrils, if I may so express it, is most 
unnatural. Then there is what Mrs. Washington, I hear, calls 
' a sponginess in the nose ' he has given him, and which nobody 
but the man who painted it ever saw. I do not think the Gen- 
eral will ever sit to him again. And why should he endure 
more sittings ? Mrs. Washington does not want any more por- 
traits of him, and will not have any other than your husband's 
in the house. The subject of sitting for another portrait will 
never be named to him." 

A wide margin must be given to this evident bit of woman's 
spite on the part of General Gates' better half. Her husband 
had proved himself a secret enemy of the great patriot, and had 
been, more or less, concerned in the plots to undermine the 
public estimate of his military capacity; nor had he rested here. 
Letters from him to public men in England and France had 
been u^nearthed by Kobert Gary, and his more than complicity 
clearly established. Washington's nobility of heart stayed all 
exposure of the traitorous hypocrisy, and even went the length 
of forgiving, if not altogether forgetting it. It was not so with 
Mr. Gary or Sharpies, who, knowing his Judas hypocrisy, ever 
afterward despised him according to his deserts. Mrs. Gates 
would speak disparagingly of Stuart's portrait, but she would 
hardly be the depositary of Martha Washington's feelings in 
regard to it. The nose, as the mouth, were then, as now, in 
all probability objective features. 



26 



THE PROFILES OF GEORGE AIS'D MARTHA WASH- 
IJSTGTON. 

These came out from England in 18SG, coupled with the fol- 
lowing announcement from the most eminent painters and 
sculptors : — 

"In order for these portraits being exhibited to the American 
nation in becoming form, the eminent portrait-painters and 
sculptors whose names are appended (than whom none higher 
could be cited) speak authoritatively as to the originality and 
authenticity of these historical works : — 

" New York, April 12, 1882. 
" The Sharpies portraits of Washington, a full-face picture and 
a profile, and that of Lady Washington, all three painted in oils, 
and exhibited for several months in New York during 1882, bear 
every evidence of having been painted from the life. The full- 
face portrait was exhibited before the Historical Society of New 
York in 1854. The authenticity of these paintings has never 
been questioned by artists or others competent to form correct 
judgment. 

(Signed) D. Huntington, 

President of the National Acadermj of Design. 
Eastman Johnson. 
J. G. A. Ward. 
Launt Thompson." 

THE FULL-FACE PORTRAIT OF WASHINGTON. 

The full-face portrait, as also the profile and that of Martha 
were all three commenced in the drawing-room at Mount Ver- 
non, as is presumed, in 1795. It is generally understood the 
works were finished in Philadelphia, where he resided with the 
younger Franklin, and where Washington, according to the 
Sharpies memoranda, made frequent visits to him. It was first 
brought back to America in 1854. Its exhibit before the Histori- 
cal Society of New York was thus officially recorded in the 
transactions of that body : — 

"Historical, Rooms, 
University of the City of New York, April 5, 1854. 

"The portrait of Washington, kindly permitted to be ex- 
hibited at a meeting of the Historical Society last evening, at- 
ti'acted much attention, and was much admired by the members, 



27 

who expressed great satisfaction in being afforded the oppor- 
tunity of seeing this vahiable picture. 

" I thought it might be interesting to the possessors of this 
valuable picture to extract from the minutes the remarks of Mr. 
Wetmore and the Rev. Dr. Van Pelt in alluding to the portrait. 
I am, very respectfully yours, 

Andkew Warnee." 

"At a stated meeting of the New York Historical Society, held 
in the Chapel of the University of the City of New York, on Tues- 
day evening, April 4, 1854, Mr. Wetmore called attention to a 
portrait of Washington hanging over the President's chair, stat- 
ing that it possessed intrinsic evidence of being an original paint- 
ing, and had been pronounced as such by our most distinguished 
artists, familiar with all the well-known portraits of Washington. 
It was said to be superior to the world-renowned portrait by 
Stuart, and that until within a short time all knowledge of the 
Sharpies portraits of Washington in oils was confined to such 
American tourists to England as carried letters to the owners. 

"The venerable Rev. Dr. Van Pelt, who was present at this 
meeting of the N"ew York Historical Society, said he had in his 
childhood the good fortune to spend some hours in the society 
of Washington, and after giving a detail of his appearance, he 
pronounced the portrait to be an excellent likeness of Washing- 
ton as he remembered him. 

"(Extract from the minutes.) 

Andrew Warner, Recording Secretary." 

The Rev. Dr. Van Pelt recorded as follows : — 

"Hammond Street, New York City, April 22, 1854. 

"In compliance with request, I have the honor now to trans- 
mit my opinion of the portrait of Washington, which Avas ex- 
hibited in our New York Historical Society, at a regular meeting- 
held in the University, on the evening of the 4th of April last. 

"It gives me pleasure to state that I had the satisfaction — I 
would add, the honor and happiness — in my youthful school- 
going days, after the war of the Revolution, and previous to his 
inauguration as the first President of the United States, of see- 
ing and spending part of a day in company with General George 
Washington, justly styled 'the Great and Good Man.' 

"He was indeed eminently so, in the various relations of 
domestic and public life, as also in his death. 

" Taught from my earliest childhood to cherish and estimate 
highly the patriotism, principles, virtues, and character of Wash- 



28 

ington, in common with my countrymen, and having the privi- 
lege, I approached near to liim, got by the side of him : he put- 
ting his arm around my neck, embraced me close to him, and 
talked to me. Taking the buttons of his military coat between 
my fingers, and intent in looking at him, I observed distinctly 
the features of his face — his bland, dignified, majestic counte- 
nance ; his erect, tall, towering person ; his graceful movements 
and amiable demeanor — so as even at present, in my advanced 
age, to perpetuate the knowledge, and leave in my mind and 
memory the impress of the contour of his face, his grave look, 
and stately appearance. Accordingly, in beholding the portrait 
as suspended in view of the members of the New York Histori- 
cal Society, I pronounced it then, as I do now, an interesting 
picture of our immortal Washington, who, we are pleased to 
say, was ' first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of 
his countrymen ' ; and that it is, according to my remembrance, 
a faithful, excellent, lifelike likeness of the Great Living Origi- 
nal, worthy to be carefully preserved, and highly valued. 
With best wishes, respectfully yours, 

P. J. Van Pelt, D.D." 

After seeing the portrait, Washington Irving thus wrote of it: 

" SuNNYSiDE, April 13, 1854. 

" I have seen the portrait of Washington by Sharpies. There 
is much more of life and animation than in that by Stuart, but 
the latter has more calm dignity. I should think it was taken 
several years previously, probably during the war, when Wash- 
ington was leading a life of personal activity and mental excite- 
ment. 

" The mouth is different from that by Stuart, and approaches 
more to the natural shape of that taken of him when he was 
forty years of age, by Peale. A set of artificial teeth, which I 
believe he did not wear until after the Revolutionary War, 
altered the shape of his mouth,— drew it down at the corners, 
and lengthened the upper lip. 

" The Sharpies portrait gives a better idea of the innate energy 
of his character; which, after he laid by the sword and assumed 
the toga, may have been somewhat veiled by the sober decorums 
and restraint of ofiicial station. 

" I think the portrait a very valuable one, and should like very 
much to have the privilege of having it engraved for the ' Life 
of Washington,' should I ever complete and publish that work, 
which the booksellers have so often announced without my au- 



29 

thority, and even before the plan of it had been turned in my 
mind. 

I am, dear sir, with high respect, 

Yonr obliged and humble servant, 

Washington Ikving." 

The poet Bryant also bore testimony thus : — 

"New Yokk, April 26, 1854. 

" I have seen the picture of Washington by Sharpies. It is a 
fine picture and most interesting, inasmuch as it represents Wash- 
ington in the vigor of manhood, some years before Stuart's por- 
trait of him was taken. The countenance expresses thought, res- 
olution, sensibility, and a high degree of physical energy. 

" I regard the discovery of the picture as an event of great im- 
portance. 

W. C. Bbyant." 

Two years later, Longfellow wrote appreciatively thus : — 

"Cambridge, September 22, 1856. 

"I have just returned from along visit to the seaside, and find 
your friendly letter and the Sharpies portraits (small photos had 
been sent to Mr. Longfellow), and hasten to thank you for them, 
and to explain why I have not done so sooner. 

" These portraits are very beautiful and very valuable. They 
are treasures which I highly pi-ize, and which I shall guard with 
jealous care; and, as you request, will ever respect your inter- 
ests, and on no pretence allow them to go out of my house. 

"If there was an artist here equal to the one who took the 
copies of the Sharpies pictures, you should have one of me in the 
same style. But, alas ! that is not the case, and I shrink from 
subjecting myself to the process of Daguerre. 

With gi-eatest regard, yours, faithfully, 

Henry W. Longfellow." 

Efforts were about this time made to purchase this portrait 
and hold it in America, but a sale could not then be made. 
The Gary family had been advised to put the portraits in settle- 
ment, which tied them up for a time. 

Dickens, who had enlisted Maclise to complete the female 
heads, wrote: — 

"I have had much pleasure in securing the good offices of 
Maclise, though the being successful is more due to Stanfield 



30 

than my efforts. Certainly he has made pictures out of Shar- 
pies' sketches of American women of Washington's time re- 
markable for their beauty and grace. Maclise has been inter- 
ested in tliese charming subjects, and he certainly has done 
wonders with them. I did not see them until months after 
he had taken them in hand. He calls them his 'American 
blazing beauties.' As to the Sharpies portraits of Washington 
and his wife: 'When in Boston I saw the portraits by Stuart, so 
also others most in favor with American friends. None, how- 
ever, excepting the Sharpies, convey to my mind his capacity, 
benignity, dignity, or grace. These portraits are unknown in 
America, but when the people see them, and are left to judge for 
themselves, they are safe to accept the Sharpies as their national 
portrait. They care not as to the nationality of the artist; what 
they want is reality. When Washington was in the flesh, his 
country had just secured its national independence. Art was 
comparatively unknown, and it is fortunate there are existing 
such presentments of the nation's founder; equally satisfactory 
is it they have until now remained in England, They would 
have been kiln-dried by 'furrmce' power had they re-crossed the 
Atlantic. In good time the Americans will learn that the unnat- 
ural dry heat of their stoves in winter is as wholly destructive of 
all paintings' as of the fair countenances of their lovely women. 
Such portraits as those Washingtons are the charge of the whole 
human race, and should be cared for as the heritage of future 
ages. They should be placed out of the power of injury by fire 
or heat. A few winter seasons in an American private house 
would finish them, and render them the utter wrecks others have 
already become. 

Chakles Dickens." 

Thackeray also expressed himself: — 

"I have only seen engravings of the Stuart portrait. It can 
never rank with the Sharpies. It has too much austerity, and is 
wanting in life. 

W. M. Thackeray." 

THE POETEAITS OF FULTON AND HIS WIFE. 

With reference to the portrait of Eobert Fulton, the man who 
shares very largely the fame of first adapting the steam-engine 
to purposes of navigation. General Grant was not alone in his 
desire to get access to it. Like all others of Sharpies' oil-por- 
traits, excepting the Washingtons, Fulton and his wife's por- 
traits, they wex'e left unfinished. They were purchased from 



31 f 

Mrs. Sharpies in that state. Romney or Bird finished the 
portrait of Fulton, Maclise that of his wife. Since their sale by 
Mrs. Sharpies, two individuals only have owned them; both 
moi'e than eccentric, tlie present possessor leading a secluded 
life, and declinin<? to allow any visitors to his costly collection 
of paintings, mostly portraits of distinguished persons. 

Fulton was an attached friend of Sharpies. In his early 
years, as is well known, he worked and maintained himself as 
an artist. There are several portraits of his execution known 
in England. When in London he was one of Benjamin West's 
family household; he and Sharpies being sympathizing fi'iends, 
the latter desired to paint his portrait, seeing he was a very 
rising man in his newly adopted profession as an engineer. 
It is understood in England that Benjamin West, during the 
period of his residence with him in London, painted a por- 
trait of Fulton; its existence in England has so far not been 
traced. The hope is that Fulton's family in America may pos- 
sess it. Sharpies himself was a skilled mechanic, and speaks of 
Fulton as having greatly served him when in America. It is not 
a little remarkable that Fulton succeeded in building a steamer 
capable of propulsion under water. He accomplished this and 
much more, and he was the father of torpedoes. 

America has allowed the name of Fulton to drop, in a degree, 
through the gridiron by which she usually tests her greatest 
sons. Undoubtedly he was the pioneer in the application of 
steam-power to purposes of navigation, and therefore ranks 
among the highest of the world's discoverers. He was a man 
of the greatest practical genius, and despite that a hundred 
years have passed into the abyss since he made his discoveries, 
yet in the matter of torpedoes the nations of the world are only 
just waking up to the knowledge that he lived. In the most 
important feature, that of a submarine vessel for war purposes, 
he was entirely successful ; and it is a matter of history that he 
produced a torpedo which destroyed a vessel anchored in the 
Bay of jSTew York. The French and English Governments, in 
common witli that of his native country, failed in realizing the 
true nature and power of his inventions, though they were none 
the less important, through their obtusity. At the time, his 
torpedo was looked upon, not as a substitute for the ordinary 
modes of warfare, but as a useful and powerful addition to the 
means of ordinary defense. He managed, even in his time, to 
keep the British fleet in a continued state of consternation 
while on the American coast; for although no actual injury was 
done to any vessel, yet the motions of the squadron in Long 



32 

Island Sound were paralyzed, although commanded by Nelson's 
favorite captain, and the crews kept in a continual state of 
alarm, through fear of his inventions. His experiments in the 
matter of submarine artillery, though arrested by his early 
death, were, it is known, in a very advanced state of practical 
application. The great discovery with which Fulton's name is 
inseparably connected, as the principal agent in its creation, is 
that of navigation by steam. Fulton was acquainted in Bir- 
mingham, with Watt, who had just then succeeded in giving to 
his steam-engine the form fitting it for universal application as 
a prime mover. Fulton worked with Watt, and was a great 
adept in making his models, and superintended for him the 
construction of an engine, at a time when few suitable mechanics 
could be found for such work. This engine reached New York 
in 1806. He returned to America with it, and immediately 
constructed a vessel for its application, and in the following 
year at once succeeded in his bold experiment of running by 
steam no less than one hundred and fifty miles at a stretch, 
from New York to Albany. Sailing-craft were ofttimes a week 
in the voyage; Fulton did the voyage in thirty hours. 

Sharpies and Fulton held frequent correspondence on artistic 
and mechanical subjects, when distance separated them from 
each other. Both were firm believers in the torpedo: had their 
letters not been lost, Ave should have seen ere this an astound- 
ing development of this destructive engine. A letter from 
Sharpies to Eobert Gary expresses a firm conviction that Fulton 
had it in his power to destroy any fleet; " the mighty invention," 
he adds, "will some day or another put an end to all naval 
warfare." 

Sharpies died in New York, February 26, 1811, and was buried 
in the Roman Catholic burial-ground of St. Peter's Church, 
Barclay Street. A large number of the chief residents were 
present at the funeral. Mr. Moses Rogers, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. 
Dunlap, Mr. Elmendorf, Mr. Charles Wilkes, Mr. Catlin, Mr. 
Bleecker, and Dr. Kemp, prominent citizens, were the pall- 
bearers. 

THE PRIESTLEY AND OTHER PORTRxlITS. 

At his death. Sharpies' widow owned a number of her hus- 
band's unfinished portraits in oils; among them ex-Presidents 
Jefferson, Adams, Madison and his wife. General Hamilton and 
his wife, Robert Fulton and his wife, who was niece of Chan- 
cellor Livingston,. and one of the greatest beauties of that day; 



33 

Dr. Priestley, and General Hamilton's wife, who also was an 
especially beautiful woman. All had sat to him; none, how- 
ever, had been finished when his death occurred. In addition to 
these, other public men of America had been " rubbed in," but 
their names could not be traced. President J. J. Hill, of St. 
Paul, than whom no truer patriot exists in America, is in pos- 
session of Jefferson, Adams, Madison and his wife, and General 
Hamilton. 

The portrait of Chief Justice Marshall is a fine presentation 
of the distinguished jurist, and it is asserted was availed of by 
more than one artist in executing other paintings of him. This 
painting is owned by a gentleman in England, who, though as- 
senting to its exhibition in Amei'ica, would not allow its auto- 
type reproduction in Major Walter's "Memorials of the Wash- 
ingtons." 

There is a fine portrait of De Witt Clinton by Sharpies exist- 
ent in England, but the owner will not consent to its coming to 
America. 

At her husband's death, Mrs. Sharpies returned to England, 
and had a sale of her husband's effects at Bath. With the excep- 
tion of the unfinished portraits named, and a number of out- 
lined female heads, decribed by her as "American beauties," 
referred to by Macready and others, everything was sold at 
auction. After the sale occurrence many inquiries were re- 
ceived from persons in America, seeking to get possession of 
their "likenesses," but, alas! the auctioneer had made away 
with them. Among the clamorers was Dunlap, the American 
historian, who wrote: " I want to get hold of my portrait un- 
finished as my friend Sharpies left it, and am willing to pay the 
price same as if he had completed it." Like others, Dunlap 
could not be accommodated. Some of the series of female 
heads were little more than "indications," and consequent on 
black-beetle ravages had to be transferred to new canvases. 
All evidenced unmistakably lovely women, mostly quite young, 
and as having been outlined on the canvases for purpose of after 
completion. The opportunity of finishing never came; and at 
his death his wife bore them away to England. 

THE FEMALE PORTKAITS. 

Altogether there were ten of these canvases. Seven were 
left in a more advanced stage than the remainder, and the fair 
subjects of these seven were Miss Peale, Mrs. Van Rensselaer, 
Hamilton, Fulton, Field, Jay, and a daughter of Patrick Henry, 



34 

the great Southern orator. At this distance of time, with the 
very slight information there exists for guidance, the names of the 
others cannot be ascertained. All were recognized charmers of 
their several localities. At the period of the sketches being 
made, balls took place in ISTew York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, 
Kichmond, and Alexandria : the leading families being generally- 
known to each other, they all met as friends. Only very meager 
memoranda existed among Mr. Gary's papers as to these sketches, 
beyond the fact of their purchase from the widow Sharpies, 
together with the other portraits, at the time of realizing her 
husband's effects after her return to England. He had been 
working on some of them during the winter of his death, having 
had offers of considerable sums for them by families in New 
York. It is clear, therefore, that he intended to finish them. 
How it came that they were not completed during the period of 
his first visit, there exists no record. Probably their commission 
was a private arrangement among the gentry attending the balls 
graced by the special aspirants, for whose hands in the graceful 
waltz there would be no lack of gay cavaliers, — whether of 
North or South need not now be asked, — though future genera- 
tions of men and women, gentlie and simple, will be ever fond of 
looking at the Sharpies delineations of these lovely ones, and 
through them read what manner were they who held sway in 
the Court of Washington. If it be not heresy to suggest, may 
it not be through jealousies of rival charms that Sharpies' com- 
pletion of the beauties was never carried out ? This has been 
given as an explanation of their being in the artist's possession 
in an unfinished state at the time of his death, and their trans- 
mission to England as part of the deceased's belongings. He 
attended some of the balls, and was by no means indifferent to 
the charms of lovely women. 

The Sharpies' portraits, so far as the general public goes, 
were until I'ecently unknown in America, excepting to the few 
leading poets and public men traveling abroad, who knew of 
their wliereabouts, and sought them out. The pictures them- 
selves were packed off to England instantly after production, 
and all that remained to the country were some pastel draw- 
ings, made, in the first instance, from sketches executed with 
the original paintings before his eyes, but which, through 
multiplication, and in absence of the originals to guide him, 
grew weaker and weaker, until, like Stuart's portraits, they 
became mere results of recollection. The evidences of rapid 
change in the national feeling need no seeking. Boston, the 
city rightly priding itself in its possession of a genuine Stuart, 



So 

has admitted, in free and honorable manner, that the Sharpies 
portraits are "more real," "more human," than the Stuarts. 
New York, from the first moment of seeing them, never faltered 
in its judgment. Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Paul, and Cincin- 
nati, the only other places in which the original paintings were 
exhibited, gave similar verdicts. 

The portrait of Hamilton's beautiful wife — a lovely picture — 
and the artist's gentle, unobtrusive manner had won her hus- 
band's heart, and doubtless his chiefs earnest request for his 
interest in Sharpies' behalf served to stimulate Hamilton's 
earnest zeal — all combined, made him the more than friend he 
proved himself. 

In the instance of the heads of female beauties, said to have 
been "rubbed in" by Sharpies during visits to Governor 
Morris, the Van Kensselaers, and also in Philadelphia and 
Baltimore, which "rubs in" were, at his death, taken to Eng- 
land and sold by his widow, very successful transfers to new 
canvases were accomplished under the advice of Maclise given 
to Macready in regard to them. Sharpies himself never at- 
tached money value to these, for the reason the amount of 
work needed to make pictures of them always loomed as a 
spectre before his eyes. But for his love of Hamilton, and not 
a little through happy remembrance of the handsome women 
themselves, — he being a man very alive to the charms of the 
"form divine" and "fascination of the witching countenance," 
— the " rubbings " would most likely have given place to other 
heads on the canvases. As Maclise said of these beautiful 
women, "AnyoneAvill recognize them as in the best manner 
of Romney. The painter Sharpies evidently aimed to follow 
his master, Romney. Each head is treated in thorough Romney 
style. ' Fond associations, running back to|Washington and to 
Hamilton, greatly endeared these to him, as they recalled to 
mind many happy balls at Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New- 
York, and caused these little else than skeletons being clung 
to in the manner evidenced to the day of his death. Robert 
Cary must have purchased them of Mrs. Sharpies. 

It seems little short of a miracle that these charming relics of 
an eventful historical past, of ever-increasing interest and value 
in hereafter time, should have escaped, and be in condition for 
perfect handing down. Maclise's beautiful work upon them, 
though retaining all the bold and classic style of Sharpies' 
master, Romney, is strongly evidenced in each; they are as 
fresh as though of yesterday's execution, and the beauteous 
ones themselves seem to look out of the canvases overjoyed at 



36 

tlieir renewed existence. It seem sad to dream of dividing them. 
They, as girls and women, loved each other after the fashion of 
rivals in ball assemblies; they voyaged together across the 
seas, and passed through Maclise's fickle mint ordeal without 
a murmur, and are now a collection of charming women, dis- 
coursing eloquently of one of the most eventful periods of the 
world's history. Marvelous has been the providence watching 
over them. 

Sharpies immediately felt at home in America in 1794, and at 
once drew around him the elite of New York and Philadelphia. 
Originally educated in a Jesuit college and intended for the 
Romish priesthood, and being, moreover, a man of much ability 
and generally accomplished, characterized by Jefferson as a 
" delightful converser," he became " the fashion" in the "best 
circles." Among his earliest made friends was Colonel Trum- 
bull, Avho had served as aide-de-camp to Washington, and, 
having taste and ability in art, had sheathed the sword to ply 
the brush; and had voyaged to England to study under Benja- 
min West, having been aided in such object by appointment to 
oflacial duties in connection with Mr. Jay's embassy. Eobert 
Gary actively engaged himself in behalf of Washington, in mov- 
ing public men with the object of averting war. Intimacy with 
Burke helped him. His labors, though prosecuted in privacy, 
were none the less earnest, causing daily personal communication 
with Mr. Jay. Sharpies was a visitor at his house. He there 
became acquainted with Trumbull, through mutual love of art, 
and ultimately they were friends. The newly arrived semi- 
military artist derived much valuable assistance by thus enter- 
ing on his new pursuit, and it was owing, in some degree, to this 
intimacy that Sharpies undertook Gary's commission to voyage 
out and paint his friend Washington. 

Major Walter, in his Memorials, does not seek to place the two 
artists, Sharpies and Stuart, on a par. However greatly Sharpies 
excelled with the Washingtons, Stuart, he admits, was un- 
questionably the greater artist. 



THE PRIESTLEY PORTRAIT. 

Trumbull was a frequent visitor at Sharpies' house in New 
York. On Sharpies going to Philadelphia to paint a portrait of 
Priestley, the eminent philosopher and electrician, he was ac- 
companied by Trumbull, and they boarded there together during 
the few weeks devoted to the execution of that portrait, a very 



37 

excellent work. The Priestley portrait, according to memo- 
randa left by Mrs. Sharpies, was painted at the advice and 
through the interest of Benjamin Franklin's son, who, strange 
to say, remained to his death a zealous loyalist, and to the last 
publicly avowed, as his earnest conviction, that " the United 
States would have developed more rapidly had they continued 
under the British flag." The Priestley portrait was entirely a 
speculation, believing that it would lead to orders from families 
in Philadelphia and Baltimore. The great scientist and divine 
had been long under great suffering, and died very shortly after 
the portrait was finished. 



CEITTCISMS OF THE POKTRAITS. 

Tlie Neio Yoi k Evening Post, which, in 1854, under the Poet 
Bryant's pen, introduced the portraits to public notice in 
America, thus alludes to their return, accompanied by Mary, 
Washington's mother: — 

The gem of the newly shown pictures, in historical interest 
and pecuniary value, is a portrait of Mary, the mother of Wash- 
ington. It was executed by Capt. Middleton, of the British 
Army, who was a trained artist before he obtained his military 
commission, and who lived for a time in this country. At that 
period, of course, he did not dream of the future fame of Mary 
Washington's son, and he was probably influenced to paint her 
picture by the beauty of tlie young matron, which was well 
worth reproducing for its own sake without regard to any other 
considerations. The portrait, was very highly valued by Wash- 
ington, who considered his mother the most beautiful woman 
he had ever beheld. In removal to Philadelphia in a wagon, it 
was badly injured by contact with a piece of furniture, to the 
great regret of the owner. In consequence of its damaged con- 
dition it was not conspicu.ously hung at Mount Vernon, and 
Washington finally sent it to England for restoration. It was 
confided to the hands of his friend Gary, and there is no record 
to show that it ever passed out of the latter's possession. Ed- 
mund Burke and Lord Erskine took an interest in the matter of 
its restoration, and the work was intrusted to Bird, the Eoyal 
Academician. The painter did his work admirably, and no 
trace of the accident which happened to it is now visible in the 
picture. After Washington's death several applications were 
made to Mrs. Morgan, of Albany, who was a friend of Sharpies 
and of the Custis family, to ascertain what should be done with 
the portrait. No reply to these inquiries is on record ; and after 
Gary's death the portrait remained in his family. It descended 
to Mrs. Edwards, a daughter of Gary's sister, and her daughter 
is now the owner. Mary Washington is represented as a sing- 
ularly lovely woman, with her charms just fully ripened. A 
resemblance to her great son is distinctly traceable in her feat- 
ures. Her complexion is fair, and her hair of a light auburn 
color. 



39 

Another portrait painted by Capt. Middleton is that of Mary 
Phillipse, Washington's early love. In some way it got among 
the effects of Sharpies, which, after his death in this city, were 
sent to England. They included a number of unfinished por- 
traits in oils, which were sold partly by auction at Bath, and 
most of them were there purchased by the Gary family. These 
outlined portraits were afterward, at the instance of Washing- 
ton Irving, and through the agency of Macready and Charles 
Dickens, worked up and finished by Maclise, of the Eoyal 
Academy. They comprise, besides the Phillipse portrait, 
pictures of Eobert Fulton and his beautiful wife (Miss Living- 
ston), Chief- Justice Marshall, Priestley, Mrs. Van Eensselaer, 
the wife of Alexander Hamilton (Miss Schuyler), Angelica 
Peale, Miss Jay, Miss Field, and Patrick Henry's daughter. All 
of the women portrayed were of remarkable attractiveness in 
feature and expression, and with the exception of Mrs. Ham- 
ilton and Miss Henry, who were lovely brunettes, their portraits 
may be regarded as types of blonde beauty. All were painted 
wearing low-necked dresses, except Miss Phillipse and Mrs. 
Hamilton. The latter' s gray gown comes up to the throat, and 
is fastened around the waist with a blue ribbon. It is a notable 
fact that not a single article of jewelry is visible in any of the 
female portraits, including those of Mary and Martha Wash- 
ington. 

E. W. Morse, the able and well-known New York corre- 
spondent of a Boston journal, has thus given expression to 
opinions generally held in regard to the paintings: — 

"What a nucleus these paintings would make for a National 
Gallery!" was a remark that expressed the keen appreciation of 
the speaker for the great value of a little collection of portraits, 
not far from a hundred years old, known as the famous Sharpies 
portraits of Washington, and his wife, Martha, now resting on 
American soil, where some day they must find a permanent 
home. There is now added to the priceless collection the por- 
trait of Mary, the mother of Washington, as she appeared to 
Captain Middleton, a portrait-painter by profession, who had 
studied under great English masters, and who was then trying 
the fortunes of war as an officer in the colonial force, was 
painted a few months before Mary's illustrious son George was 
born, and toward the end of the last century it was sent to Lon- 
don, to be repaired. For ninety years it has been in England, 
and has had a curious history. It was painted in 1731, and was 
injured during a journey which Washington made to headquar- 



40 

ters in Philadelphia. The painting had been carelessly packed 
in a wagon containing household furniture, and the head of a 
bedpost had ground a hole through the center of the canvas by 
chafiiig during the journey from Virginia to Philadelphia. For 
many yeai-s thereafter the painting remained in a wretched con- 
dition — so wretched, in fact, that it was hung in the bedroom 
of Washington and his wife, to avoid remark as to its maimed 
state, and which prevented its being placed in a more conspicu- 
ous position. 

The exquisite charm of the face of this more than lovely Mary 
is in the contour. Her thick, wavy, reddish-brown hair is 
brushed back from a low forehead, and is tied with a pink ribbon 
behind. A luxuriant curl rests on her left shoulder. Blue 
eyes, a charming mouth, and a small nose, are features of a 
beautifully modeled head, which is elegantly poised on a long 
and graceful neck. Her gown is of slate-colored silk, cut low 
in the neck. A fine white lace kerchief passes over each shoul- 
der, the ends being caught at the top of the bodice, setting off 
the neck with delightful effect. 

The others are portraits of belles, nearly all of old Knicker- 
bocker stock of the Revolutionary period, and one of pre-Rev- 
olutionary days, which the gallant Captain Middleton also 
painted. This Middleton is a portrait of "Mary Phillipse," 
with whom Washington was in love in his younger days, and 
whose beauty does credit to his taste in such matters. Less 
brilliant in complexion than Washington's mother, Miss Phil- 
lipse is of another type of the Colonial beauties of the Old 
Dominion. Her dark hair is brushed back and powdered over 
her forehead, curls of the natural color falling over her shoul- 
der. Her gown is also of slate-color, and a white lace kerchief 
caught at the corsage, with a bow of a deep golden shade, sets 
off a neck of rare loveliness. One notices the curious circum- 
stances that all of these charmers had unusually long and well- 
rounded necks. Miss Jay's portrait is a full-face front, the 
heads of most of the others being turned slightly to the right. 
And what a bright, intelligent, wide-awake girl she must have 
been, fascinating the New York, Albany, and Philadelphia 
beaux, we may well believe, with her sparkling blue eyes and 
her nimble wit. She was called "Miss Impudence'^ by her fam- 
ily, and Sharpies, who painted this and the portraits that I 
shall describe later, evidently caught with rare skill the salient 
features of her character, and succeeded in depicting her vivac- 
ity and sprightliness in every lineament of her face. Here is 
her ai)pearance : a head smaller than most of the others, hair, 



41 

brownish-red, brushed off a low forehead and piled high on her 
head, a bit of blue ribbon in its coils; a deep-red gown, cut low, 
with lace over the shoulder's, and a full-blown rose in the cor- 
sage; regular features full of animation, and a long, rather 
slender neck — witlial a charming portrait, excellent in drawing 
and full of color. One sees a bit of Venetian blue landscape in 
the background of the portrait of Mrs. Van Rensselaer, which 
justifies the artist in placing a broad-brimmed, dark-straw hat, 
trimmed with bits of blue ribbon, on the pretty head of the 
lady, whose wine-colored gown is cut low in the neck, the lace 
kercliief over her shoulders being tied at the bodice with a blue 
ribbon. Sharpies was not so successful with his portrait of 
Patrick Henry's black-haired daughter. Nor was she dressed 
as becomingly as the Knickerbocker maidens. Robert Fulton's 
wife, a niece of Chancellor Livingston, wears a jacket of okl 
gold color, with two folds of lace crossing lier bosom. The pic- 
ture is not so well composed, nor is the lady as pretty as some 
of the others. Modesty or some other reason compelled the 
wife of General Hamilton, who was Miss Schuyler, to fill the 
neck of her frock with lace, and even to wear a ruff. 

Loveliest of all is the portrait of Angelica Peale, a daughter 
of the artist, Charles Willson Peale, who studied under Copley 
in Boston, and West in England, and who commanded a com- 
pany at several battles in the Revolutionary war. Miss Peale' s 
beauty must have been the reason why she was selected to place 
the laurel wreath on the head of Washington when he entered 
New York to assume the office of President. Sharpies has cer- 
tainly painted a portrait of an extraordinarily lovely girl, and 
in a free, Titianesque style that accords perfectly with the sub- 
ject. It is romantic treatment as compared with that of the 
others, but it suits the charms of face and figure that this 
daughter of the soldier-painter possessed. Her dai-k-brown 
hair is parted and waved back, a fillet of jewels binding it over 
her brow. Her gown is of rather loose white stuff, cut very low, 
and somewhat squarer in the neck than those of the others, a 
spray of lily of the valley at the center. Over each shoulder 
falls the end of what seems to be a scarf of pale blue. Imagine, 
now, this girl in an easy, unconventional, or, to be more exact, 
a dreamy and slightly languid attitude, beautiful in every feat- 
ure, and of a rich, full-moulded type of beauty, and you may 
get an idea of how the Knickerbocker youths' heads must have 
been turned a hundred years ago by the presence of this fair 
maid. The charms of this galaxy of Colonial and Revolutionary 
belles have furnished such a fascinating theme we have only 



42 

space to refer to the portraits of Robert Fulton, said to be tlie 
only one in existence, Cliief Justice Marshall, and Priestley, all 
by Sha;rples, and all of exceeding interest. The whole collection 
ought to find a permanent home in the Capitol at Washington, 
for it is of inestimable historical value to the American people, 
and is worthy of the most serious attention by our portrait- 
painters. 

Mrs. Schuyler Yan Eensselaer, one of the ablest art writers in 
America, an admitted authority, has thus recorded of the 
portraits, in the New York Independent : — 

" The series of portraits should not fail of a visit from any one 
who ventures to call himself a ' good American.' And apart 
from their high historic interest, four or five of the pictures are 
well worth the attention of all who love good art. These include 
the famous Sharpies portraits of Washington and his wife— a 
profile of Mrs. Washington and a profile and a full-face of her 
husband. 

" Sharpies Avas an English artist who was sent to America by 
Robert Gary, Washington's' personal friend and London agent, 
for the express purpose of painting these pictures. Romney, 
the best portraitist of his time in England, had been Sharpies' 
teacher, and had recommended him to Gary. The portraits were 
begun at Mount Yernon, and Mrs. Washington's was finished 
there, though the General gave Sharpies final sittings in Phila- 
delphia. All three were sent at once to England, and there re- 
mained in the possession of Gary's collateral descendants, until 
1854, when they were loaned for exhibition to the New York 
Historical Society. The greatest interest in them was then 
excited, and through the exertions of Washington Irving and 
other prominent citizens they would have been purchased, but 
that business complications in the Gary family rendered their 
:iale impossible. Some four years ago they were again sent over 
the water, doubtless in the hope that the Government would buy 
them for the nation. But though they were shown in many 
cities East and West; though their authenticity has never been 
disputed; though their artistic value is very evident, and though 
Washington is portrayed in a way far more in accordance with 
our innate ideas of probability than upon any other canvas ex- 
tant — not excepting those by Gilbert Stuart— they were again 
allowed to return to foreign keeping. Once more they are on 
American soil. Should their present exhibition, unfortunately, 
but unavoidably, a very short one, prove the slightest vitality 



of interest on the public's part, they will immediately be re- 
turned to their owners, who are unwilling to incur the great ex- 
pense and risk of transportation and long exhibition in the face 
of utter public apathy. There is only one thing to be said about 
them — they ought to be purchased for the nation. It is a duty 
Congress owes to the people, to the memory of Washington, and 
to its own reputation for patriotism and good sense. It does not 
need Washington's assertion, in a letter to Gary, "It is agreed 
all hands that his (Sharpies') two portraits of myself are, so far 
as likeness goes, by far the best of the many made" ; it does not 
need the strong preference expressed by Irving and many 
others in New York; it does not need Emerson's words from 
England, saying, "I would willingly have crossed the Atlantic 
if only to have looked on these portraits, so priceless to our 
people" ; it does not need General Grant's decision when he saw 
them not many years ago in England, " They are the likenesses 
of the man; . . and anybody can see in that face all that we 
know him to have been," — it does not need any of this to con- 
vince us, if we have eyes to see the canvases, or a heart to im- 
agine their originals, that they are treasures of incomparable 
value. Stuart's version of the great man's face has, for want of 
a better, imposed itself upon us as the likeness to be respected. 
In the Sharpies portrait we see him a little earlier in life, and 
the mouth has much more the aspect it wears in the Peale por- 
trait, painted at about the age of forty. The picture is life size, 
and somewhat less than half-length, the hands not being visi- 
ble. The right shoulder is turned a little toward the spectator, 
and the head turned a little over it, showing the face nearly 
though not quite full, with the eyes meeting ours. The pose is 
instinct with vitality, vigor, and dignity— the bearing at once 
that of the soldier and that of the statesman. The dress is 
military — a blue coat with gold buttons and epaulettes, a white 
stock and rufQe, the hair powdered, of course. The vivid blue 
of the deeply set, not large, but potent and expressive eyes, is 
familiar to us from the Stuart pictures ; but the strong modeling 
of the cheeks and chin, revealing the bony structure beneath, 
the fine, though slightly depressed, line of the nose, and, above 
all, the beautiful expression of the vigorous, yet sympathetic 
and almost pathetic mouth — these are traits we find for the first 
time, and traits which for the first time convince us, to our 
entire satisfaction, that thus and so Washington must indeed 
have looked. Our eyes assist us a good deal toward forming 
our impressions of a man's character ; and quite as much when 
they are turned on painted records as when they rest on liviu" 



44 

faces. I cannot but believe that if this portrait and not tbe 
unsympatlietic, somewhat cold — may I venture to say a trifle 
pompous and pedantic looking — face which Stuart left, had 
been known to us and believed in by us from childhood, our 
feeling toward Washington would have been different from that 
which many of us have to-day ; not more admiring, perhaps, 
but more affectionate, more reverent — altogether more human. 
Must it be that future generations shall be deprived of so unique 
an aid to sympathetic understanding ? 

Moreover, as I have said, the work is delightful, simply con- 
sidered as a work of art — a picture which, even if it had no 
name at all, we would gladly hang upon our walls to " live 
with." The handling is bold and clever, and though the 
shadows are a trifle dark — the result perhaps of age — the 
color and the tone of the canvas are quite admirable. The 
whites are treated on a veiy yellowish key, harmonizing beau- 
tifully with the deep brown background, the dark blue coat, and 
virile complexion, which, I may add, shows none of that un- 
natural pinkishness which is so disturbing in the Boston original 
from Stuart's brush. 

The profile of Mrs. Washington stands next in artistic as 
well as in historic interest. Here the white kerchief and cap 
and the blue-and-white-striped ribbon which encircles the latter, 
are grayish, not yellowish, in tone ; and as the background is 
very dark and the dress black, the general effect is rather somber. 
But it is very harmonious and artistic, none the less, and this, 
too, is a picture precious even apart from the personality it 
shows. The profile of the General is in civilian's dress — black, 
with but little of the white collar and ruffle showing ; and, 
though interesting too, has by no means the beauty or the 
charm of the full face. 

Together with these three pictures hangs the only known 
portrait of Washington's mother, Mary, which, from extant 
letters of his own, is known to have hung, in a mutilated condi- 
tion, in her son's bedroom at the time of Sharpies' visit ; that 
permission to have it repaired was refused, because the General 
disliked to part with it, and feared repairing might mean altera- 
tion ; that it disappeared after his death ; that its existence in 
England was always believed in ; that Emerson tried in vain to 
find it ; and that now it has been found, and its history satis- 
factorily traced. It was painted by an English officer named 
Middleton, a few months before the birth of Washington ; when 
sent to England was restored by an R. A. named Bird ; and has 
since been owjied by members of the Gary family. Its purely 



45 

artistic value is by no means so great as that of the Sharpies 
three. But this value in high potency we may do vrithout in pres- 
ence of the only existing likeness of such a woman. A beautiful 
young woman she is too, with large, full, yet sweet, and refined 
features and majestic bearing, quite the sort of mother such a 
son should have had, and quite the sort that contemporary 
accounts of her beauty would lead us to expect. Her com- 
plexion is fair, and her hair light brown, rolled back over a low 
cushion in front, falling in a single large curl over the bare left 
shoulder, which is turned toward the spectator, and tied with a 
bit of pink ribbon. Her low-cut dress is of a lilac shade, and a 
bertha of muslin and lace is tucked in around her neck, and tied 
in front. These four pictures, I repeat, will be sold, but will 
not be separated in the sale. Surely some one will be found to 
purchase them either for himself or for the nation, if the nation's 
representatives refuse the privilege. 

When Sharpies returned for the second time to this country he 
began a great number of portraits of men and women well 
known in the "upper circles" of the day. In many cases he 
made but outline sketches, to be completed when opportunity 
should allow, and he died in his home in Greenwich Street, 
New York, while a number were still incomplete. These were 
taken by his wife to England, and there finished by other hands. 
Now they are on exhibition here, together with the originals 
just named. 

A comparison is interesting, as proving the decadence of 
English art in the generation which came after Sharpies. He 
was not well known as a painter, but his work is such that it 
charms the most critical eye. His unfinished canvases were 
completed by men of higher place in the world's esteem than he 
— some of them by the famous Maclise — but are each and all 
inferior in every way to his own results. 

Among them hangs a portrait of Robert Fulton, better painted 
than most of the others ; which is, I believe, the only likeness of 
him in existence. And still better painted is that of the great 
chemist and theologian, Priestley, whom Sharpies went to 
Philadephia to portray. The drawing is good and the expres- 
sion lifelike and satisfying; and thovigh the scheme of color and 
tone is entirely different from that of either of the Washingtons, 
the handling makes one feel that Shar^jles himself had a greater 
share in it than in its companions. It is a good and interesting 
picture, as well as a pleasing likeness of a notable man. I may 
add that, in spite of the entire difference in the coloring of the 
two men, the growth of the hair, the shape of the forehead, and 



46 

the line of the eyebrows in the Priestley reminded me very 
strongly of the same features in his great-grandson, the late H. 
H. Richardson. 



The Boston Transcript, of -ith November, in its Art Notes, 
dealt critically with the paintings as follows: — 

There is a tendency at present to forget Washington. His 
character and principles are unpopular; the conviction is wide- 
spread that he would characterize present political methods 
with a degree of Western democratic severity. Times have 
changed since 1776. In fact, the spirit of Washington and his 
times has fallen into marvelous discredit. There are some, 
however, who still hold to the iDrinciples that drove Washington 
and his circle in their task of making a nation ; some who find 
in the men of the Eevolution mental qualities, traits of charac- 
ter, details of life, that seem somehow wanting in the incum- 
bents of similar positions nowadays. To them, the new Wash- 
ington will be an unusual source of pleasure. On the whole, 
however, it is hardly exact to call the Sharpies portrait a "new 
Washington"; for to those who have studied the character of 
the man with admiration and wonder, it will seem a very old 
portrait indeed, very old and familiar, and the chances are that 
the old Stuart portrait will give place to the comparatively 
unknown Sharpies; for there has always been in the former a 
something inharmonious with the character of George Wash- 
ington as it develops under study. It is one-sided, giving little 
of the religious element, little of the manly humility, little of 
the grave thoughtfulness and calm determination that are so 
marked in this most honorable man. It is an ideal picture, 
notable for its beauty and its majestic digiiity. 

But the Sharpies portrait is very different. Here one sees 
painted those qualities of thought — lihilosophical, yet in a 
measure ideal — of following resolution, of kindliness and be- 
nignity, of religious reverence, and withal of physical energy — 
all those qualities which one knows were Washington's, but are 
unexpressed in other portraits. The picture has personality, 
friendliness. One is drawn toward it as all were drawn to the 
great original in life. Most certainly this is the Washington his 
admirers most will love. 

The profile portrait is also interesting in the same way. Here, 
however, it is impossible to read in the eyes and the mouth the 
qualities shown so well in the first-named portrait. It shows 
well the strong modeling of the face, and those elements of 



physical strength, resolution, and execution, that added the 
final roundness to this remarkable personality. It is a fascinat- 
ing picture, but rather of Washington the civilian at rest in his 
own home, than Washington the statesman, patriot, and warrior. 
The talent of Stuart was wholly at home in creating the 
beautiful Martha Washington at the Art Museum. The Shar- 
pies portrait cannot conflict with this. 

Of course the deepest interest centers in the two portraits of 
Washington ; the interest, that is, of all true Americans, of those 
who know no way of guiding the future but by the past, of all 
patriots, students, and hero-worshipers. Still, the unique por- 
trait of Mary Washington, painted only a few months before the 
birth of her son, is full of unusual interest — a really beautiful 
woman, as Washington reverently said, strikingly like her son. 
One can easily trace, even in a work which is rather wanting in 
individuality and character, evidences of those religious and 
thoughtful and ideal qualities which were deeply characteristic 
of Washington himself. Middleton, the painter, was evidently 
only an amateur, and failed to catch clearly those characteris- 
tics his subject must have possessed. But the picture is valu- 
able in the extreme, being the only one in the world. 

The remaining portraits are chiefly of American beauties of 
the time of the Revolution; and very beautiful they were, many 
of them, particularly Washington's first love, and Mrs. Jay. 
These female portraits, however, were only sketched by Shar- 
pies, being finished by men perhaps more celebrated, but cer- 
tainly less truly artists. 

For artistically the Sharpies portraits are admirable. Although 
a pupil of Romney, the painter seems to copy his master not at 
all; his excellence is almost equal, but very different. Through- 
out, the work is vigorous, earnest, and simple, without a hint of 
the triviality and falsity which pretty soon characterized English 
art. The military portrait of Washington is singularly strong in 
almost every way— artistically and technically strong and pure 
in color, fine in tone, and frank and direct in execution. The 
rest of the Sharpies portraits are wretched, so far as art is con- 
cerned, being often characterless and falsely pink and white. 

But, after all, the value of the pictures lie wholly in their 
pricelessness as memorials, and the full-front Washington can 
only be looked on as a work which should be, and eventually 
must be, one of the most precious treasures of the nation. 

We have no opportunity here to advocate the purchase of these 
pictures by the country; probably such counsel would be thrown 
away. Our Government has proclaimed its plan with regard to 



48 

art, and it is liopeless to expect anything but determined antag- 
onism in that quarter to those questions which in civilized coun- 
tries receive strongest support. The Government will not buy 
these portraits, for very manifest reasons, but eventually they 
will become the property of the nation ; and it may be just as 
well in the meantime they remain in private hands; but that 
they should never go back to England is of course a foregone 
conclusion. 

Immediately on the Sharpies collection arriving in Boston, 
Sydney Dickinson, well known as an accomplished and com- 
petent critical writer, addressed himself to the Portraits in terms 
as follows in the Boston Journal of 6th November: — 

This collection of portraits may fairly be said to be the most 
valuable and interesting to Americans of any that have ever 
been exhibited in this country. It includes the Sharpies paint- 
ings of George Washington, and Martha his wife, of Kobert 
Fulton and his wife, of Dr. Priestley, and Chief Justice Marshall, 
and the Middleton portraits of Mary, the mother of Washington, 
and of Mary Phillipse, for whom, in early life, Washington is 
said to have had an attachment. 

The chief interest of the exhibition centers naturally in the 
portraits of Washington himself. Of these there are two — one 
full face, the other a profile ; the former in military garb, the 
latter in the evening dress of a well-to-do civilian. These works 
describe Washington at an earlier age than that presented in the 
well-known Stuart portraits; and although they are inferior to 
the best of Stuart's canvases as works of art, they have every 
indication of being equally good likenesses, if not better. To 
us they have a stronger interest than the Stuart portraits, as 
showing us more truly the appearance of the first great Ameri- 
can at the time when he achieved liberty and superintended the 
building of a new nation. There is remarkable sincerity in 
these works, and evidence of accurate observation and sympa- 
thetic workmanship, which give them a value far above any 
other portraits upon this subject. The profile portrait of Martha 
Washington is no less interesting and valuable, showing a 
woman of cool, self-reliant spirit, homely virtues, and intelligent 
mind,— the worthy helpmeet of the Father of his Country. 
There is in the descriptions of both these personages a modest, 
unostentatious character, which gives a better revelation than 
scores of written volumes could do of the quiet, courageous, 
patient spirit of the generation which achieved independence 
for us. Superior to these pictures as works of art, if possessing 



49 

less vital interest for the general public, are the Sharpies por- 
traits of Eobert Fulton, Dr. Priestley, and Chief Justice Marshall ; 
all of which are beautifully painted, and have few rivals in works 
of the present day in expression of vitality and intelligence. 

In works of historical interest, high, artistic qualities are of 
secondary importance; and it is in consideration of this fact that 
we regard the most interesting picture in the collection to be 
that of Washington's mother. This was painted by a man of 
mediocre ability, Captain Middleton, an officer attached to 
the Colonial force, who studied under able masters of his 
day, and, as the portrait shows, had absorbed some of their 
manner and skill in giving delicate and idealistic expression to 
descriptions of his sitters. How much of the handiwork of the 
original artist remains to the present day it would be difficult to 
say. It bears evidence of considerable improvement since it 
left its author's hand, and is explained in the statement that 
the picture was so badly damaged while in Washington' s posses- 
sion during his campaigns, that it was found necessary to 
transfer it to a new canvas and otherwise restore it — a work in 
which Mr. Sharpies himself had some interest, even if he did 
not actually participate in it. Letters of Washington himself 
remove all doubt about the authenticity of the portrait, and it 
stands as an unique and priceless memorial of a woman whose 
personal appearance is otherwise unknown. We have other 
portraits of Washington himself, but none of his mother; and it 
should in some way be retained upon the soil which saw her birth 
and that of her illustrious son. It is probable, indeed, that this 
portrait, as well as the two of Washington himself, and that of 
Martha, his wife, will be purchased for eternal preservation in 
America. Such should be their disposition by every rule of 
reason and patriotism. Meanwhile, lest this plan may fail, no 
one should miss seeing these most valuable works. 



<?, 






